Haunt of Fear!

How deep is your love?

It's time to use Myspace for it's intended purpose...looking up pictures of strippers, but after that!-
To promote art!

Here's the idea...
There is less than a month until our show, and i want to flood this intrernet concern with the word. Here is what you can do to help...
join http://www.myspace.com/femdeb

Grab the Feminist Debutante Guild "Jackie" logo, and make it your default picture until the date of the show. Get your friends to do it as well, then send me a message letting me know you did it, and the Guild will provide you with a personalized Superfan I.D. Number and comment. You can make it your friendster default as well. I don't care!

I think it'd be sweet to see Jackie all over the Myspace, don't you? Make this thing useful for once, and help get the word out!

Thanks.

Grand Moff J'Mza

"Try and enjoy the daylight..."

Tonight we began to lay the edited parts of the film down on the timeline. Now it's looking like a movie. There is even some music layed down, though i suspect the rights won't be aquired for most of it. Still, I feel like the Pope because I made something great. Finally.

And yet, somethings missing...

If you're already familiar with my woes of loneliness, then stop reading.
What lies ahead is more of the same.

I can't tell you why it is so important to me to be in a somewhat normal relationship with a somewhat stable female with a good head on her shoulders and, if i'm lucky, happens to be as cute as she is smart.

Maybe it has something to do with my fear that one day 40 years from now, prompted by an "odd smell", a neighbor is going to find me alone in my modestly decorated home being devoured by my 17 cats.

See, at some point you have to stop and say 'Shit, maybe it IS me. Maybe all these characteristics I THINK I have to offer are really the most off-putting things in the world: being a southern gent, a good cook, a good listener, and all that bullshit" And if all this is true, and I could have been spending the last 15 years being a selfish asshole, then I'm gonna be really pissed. 'Cause I'm sure being a dick is a lot easier, and a lot more fun.

I don't (think) I believe all that. Anyway, I made a movie about it.

We've all seen it. assholes get girls. Great girls, too. Girls we believe we deserve. But you have to ask yourself if you'd want a girl that'd let herself be a part of some fake relationship championed by a ass who ignores her and doesn't offer her the smallest amount of respect. We have ALL seen it, time and time again, and there is no logic in it. And there never will be. And yes, we still want them. We tell ourselves that we can be heros to these girls, and give them what they deserve. But what if...
What if they are already getting what they deserve? What if some girls like or need to be with guys that don't care if they stay or go? I won't pretend to know what this shit is all about. I gave up a long time ago.

Hell, all I can do to make any sense out of it is create a fictionalized account for the screen. And even then, I feel odd because while the characters are complete asses and treat women like crap, they come of very fucking likable. I can guarantee that some girls will fall for my lead actors based completely on their performances as total dickweeds.
But this need to not die alone doesn't consume me, it's just a looming mystery that sits outside all I do. Wondering how my days would be different, my nights would be less trying, and my art would be better if I could share some...well, just share something.

Eh, If nothing else, I'll get many years of material out of it. Until the whole thing bores me and I buy my first cat...

I don't know.

All we can do is try to enjoy the daylight.

Movie soon...

"I'm running this monkey show now, Frankenstein!"

Alright, smart guy. Here's a real challenge.
No Googling...

Sorry about the language (not really), but My movie is almost edited!
HOLY FUCKING SHIT.
I know a few of you people are artists, and you know the joy of watching your art come to light, but you won't believe how this full-length feature shit feels. It's like I'm the first guy in the 6th grade to touch a pair of boobs.
I like boobs.
So, I go to work and make the coffee, and I come home and edit. By monday, I should have a very rough but completely watchable version of my movie.

holy. Fucking. SHIT.

So when i'm at work wondering why i can't find a decent girl, own nice things, keep good money, or be completely healthy, i know this...

i have a movie. holyfuckingshit.

Yup, that's a human ear alright...

Sorry I been away so long! This editing/working/sleeping/emailing stuff takes a lot of time. here is the news.

We're moving right along cutting this picture, and it's looking pretty. We have a date in mind for a viewable cut, and it's soon... so be on the look out.
Also, props to Sean for correctly guessing the line from last post. It was Return of the Living dead.
guess this one, wise guy!

Anyway, I'm still here, and progress is chug, chug, chugging along. Soon, you'll be able to see my first baby: Lounge Act.

Can't wait...

J'

"You mean, the movie lied!?"

A quick movie update, then some random crap in the mighty Marvel Tradition...

thursday , the crew gets back together briefly to shoot some pick up photography for the cool first act photo montage. we had some problems the first time out (the mamnger of the place we wanted to use never showed up) but this time should be cake. then, this weekend probably, i start to edit with the help of muh good friend and all around nice guy peter.
i can't wait! this is the fun part.
and the answer is yes, there will be at least one Lucas stlye scene wipe-transition. you happy?

and now my random thought.

If you know J'mel, then you know i loves the zombie flicks. i loved the original dead trilogy, i loved James Gunn's remake/reimagining of dawn of the Dead, i even loved 28 days later though it was not a true zombie flick, the homage was appreciated.
here is my problem. Romero has always said that the films weren't really sequals, but stories all taking place in the same disaster. fine, but it kills me that each film had products and automobiles that accompanied their times. I mean, the dead start rising in 1968, it stands to reason that chevy is gonna stop production on it's cars, right? now I know how expensive it would be to set each consecutive film with products that existed when the apocolypse went down, but i love that sort of attention to detail. I'm just saying is all...
Okay, i'm done.
oh, major props to the person that can tell me what the title of this post comes from. sorry 3way, you can't play. advantage and all.
bye. Lounge against the machine!

Blood on the Clownsuit

I'm gonna take a break from celebrating my movie and complaining about chicks to honor a good friend of mine who recently left us.
John Hallum.
I met John through my Hetero life-mate Sam Landman at Children's Theatre in Birmingham, and I knew right away that this man was an original. John could convince you you'd done things you knew damn well you hadn't. He had an infectiously malicious sense of humor, and a laugh like an evil drag queen.
John had been sick for a while.
Diabetes took his leg some years ago, and recently his health began to decline dramatically. i saw him the day before Christmas eve 2005, and he was, as always, in good spirits.
We talked about 70's horror, local chicks who suck, and drank. One of the best times i ever had with him was watching "Amatuers across america 27" one of those 18 hour, low rent porno tapes, and making fun of how the women didn't really want to be there, and how bad their hair looked.
John made it okay to be an ass, cause you couldn't out-ass him. i knew i was in good standing when he'd bellow "J'mel, you are just not right..."
Here is another memory...Sam and i thought it'd be funny to ride around Vestavia changing the letters on marquee signs so they said things like "assercize" and "gays welcome" and all the while, John was in the backseat of Sam's Saturn cracking up. Those were the good times.
I hate that he won't be here to see that i wasn't all talk, but I know he knew it.
he came out to my shows when he could, and you couldn't miss his laugh. You want to impress your friends and heros. John was both to me.
I feel like i'm too young to be dealing with the mortality of my close friends, but isn't this what it's all about?
we only get a short while on this rock, and if were lucky we gat people to love while we're here, and people who miss us when we leave.
having said all that, i'm sure john is sitting somewhere calling me a Fag in that effeminate voice of his for making such a big deal out of his passing.
but this whole thing makes you think.
It gives new meaning to the punchline of one of John's favorite jokes...
"You think you're scared, i have to walk out of here alone..."
world without end...Amen

Wrappin'! It had to happen!

Booyah-ka-sha, Roadboy!
We wrapped this fucker of a movie yesterday at exactly 5:00 pm, an hour ahead of schedule.
Every crew member kicked ass!
We had a couple Divas, one small and one large.
I think I may tap the large.
Shot a hillarious Epilogue scene.
Played with a real life Theramin.
Shot 14 hours and 13 minutes of digital video based on my horrible choices in women.
Hung out in the hot tub for about an hour with two of the hottest Gay guys I've ever known,
and complained to them about my horrible choices in women.
Sang Living Thing by ELO, Voices Carry by Til Tuesday and discussed my plan to
tap the Diva with my Gay friends.
Sat near Rachel McCuteyhead for about 15 minutes, transfixed by her Elfen eyes and melon-like aroma.
Drank 9 beers and 6 shots of tequila.
Watched a kind of (?)okay skinny chick start to turn sorta cute. looked at empty bottle, and tossed it aside.
Knocked back two Double QuarterPounders and watched The Usual Suspects.
Took a deep breath and realized that it can only get better from here.
Passed out.
New things everyone is saying because they becaame contagious on set:
"Holla"
"Disco"
"What!?"
"Fucka, Fucka, Fucka"
"Burn!"
"Damn, son!"
"My pants! I need new pants!"
"(sigh)...Yeah."
and my favorite... "Ask Scott"

Thanks dear reader(s) for sticking around.
The fun stuff has yet to begin.

Is Everybody In!!?

Joe, Peter, George, Ponytail George, Brandon, 3way, Trimm Diddy, Laurie...
This ones for you.
Thanks for helping me with my baby.

Cover your shame!

New stuff at the Lounge Act store! Cover your shame with style!
http://www.cafepress.com/loungeactetc

SIGH...!

Yesterday:
Wrapped on the Character of Bambi :-(
Wrapped on the Fer-De-Lance bar location.
Ate Mcdonalds(sausage egg and cheese mcgriddle, sausage egg and cheese biscuit, cinnimon roll, Fruit and yogurt parfait. i know it seems like a lot, but I'd had a stomach flu the day before on easter, and I was starving!)
Watched 4 tapes of dailies(good shit. we officially have 11 hours of raw movie)
Rescouted the location of the poolhouse.
Explained the Origin of Venom to Siusan the Snowpea. :-)
Watched Infernal Affairs with Brad (we'd been waiting for 2 months!)
Hung out with Rachel McCuteyhead. :-()
Drank.(four or five of those malted smirnoff flavored thingys. not too shabby)
Passed the "F" out.

Today I go to make coffee at my paying job.
We wrap for good on saturday night.
Wait... This is all really happening, right?

sigh...

No lines, No waiting...

I logged on with the full intention of blasting all the confirmed extras for my film that never showed up and left us, basically, with a minimalist, feliniesque film.
But why go through the trouble?
What I'll do instead is talk about how frustratingly fun it is to be Johnny-on-the-spot on set.
See, sometimes crap arrises on the shoot that I have to, along with the help of my producers, fix immediately.
The creative blood flowing through this film is amazing.
I take a 112 page script, hand it to the producers, the schedule the shit out of the days of shooting, we make sure everyone knows where they are supposed to be and when, and you cover everything you possibly can, and prepare for the day.
But the only thing you can't plan for is human error.
People have their own reasons for making art, or being part of art, and sometimes they don't realize that when you make them a part of YOUR art, you are investing a great deal of trust in them to take care of your baby.
But on occasion, the sitter shakes your baby.
The last few days have been beautiful, due mainly to the actors being on point, the crew coming together to make this thing look as pretty as it can, and everyone falling in to cover when someone sucks the big stink sausage.
This is a pretty big project for us.
We have all worked hard, and believe me the end result will show it. And as I've said before, I couldn't think of a better group to share the praise with.
Every boner has offered us a challenge, and every challenge has led to a happy accident that will in the long run make for a better film.
I couldn't be happier with what we've done, and this is just the beginning....

Industry jargon

So, I know it's been awhile since i've posted to all my loyal reader(s) out there, but this movie shit is tiring. I love it!
The last three days of shooting were for a photo montage (gayest pillow fight ever!) at the airport, a local hotel suite, and the movie theatre. The people at the theatre burned us, though. Can you believe that? we walk right into the airport with no problem, but the movie theatre...no dice.
That's exactly why i'm gettin' on a plane when this thing is all done!
We shot some beautiful scenes at the museum, and i have to say it brought a tear to my eye to have people yelling "fuck" in front of my favorite painting "Looking down Yosemite valley" by Albert Beirstadt. sigh
All in all, folk(s) everything is going smoothly.
we have a five day shhoting block coming up, so I'll be out of it. visit me today at the coffee shop, and I'll tell you all about it. Holla!
See you all soon.

LOUNGE ACT: day two

Today was the shiznittle snip-snap-snip!
We shot the thrilling birthday party scene, and it went over beautifully.
No hitches whatsoevah!
Allsaid and done, this weekend was a perfect barometer of how things will go. The crew rocks, the actors rock, and damn it, I love my characters.
Well, got a week of coffee making to get through, then it's back at it.
i love Daylight savings spring forward day. that menas it's daytime when I leave work.
sweet.
keep it real, tricks!

LOUNGE ACT: day one...

Happy Daylight savings...day!

Yesterday was the first full day of filming on the show, and damn it went smoothly.
First, there was a brief scene at a local bookstore, Little Professor.
The light was perfekt, the actors were on. Except for a brief problem getting a character to hit the register keys hard enough, all was well. Also, I flirted with the cool clerk who works there. He he.

After that, Brad, our lead Chris, and our grip peter went to Ruby Tuesday where we were served by a cute little girl who calls herself Smoobaby. She really seemed to like her job. I had a black and bleu burger and we talked about wether or not M. Night Shyamalan should ever write his own material again or not.

After that, on to location two...my Ma's house!

In adition to letting us use her home, smoke in her bathroom, and letting us make her stay in the bedroom while we shot, she also prepared us up a mess of vittles and got me a congratulations cake. i love my Ma. My brother the Robocop showed up and palled around with the crew(as much as the cop can pal around with strangers, mind you) and we shot some pretty cool looking stuff.

So, finally, it's come and gone. Day one. No MAJOR hiccups, smooth sailing. Our crew was formed on the fly. we were getting scared a bit towards the end, but the people we have all kick ass right now.
It's nice to be around people you look forward to sharing credit for a job well done with. Damn nice.

Today is day two, and...it looks like rain...

Oh, and see Slither. Old school shit!
bye for now.

Visit the store... http://www.cafepress.com/loungeactetc

Baby, you know I hate it when you make me hit you...

Why do I do these things to myself?
12.5 hour shift today.
Laundry.
Then I film in the morning.
American Idol can eat my gland.

come visit me, if you wanna share the love...

Lucy's coffee and tea, 2007 university Blvd.

See you yeggs in the funny pages...

Switched it up on ya, boyyyy!

New Threads!

Check em' out!

Who You WIT'?Come visit my store on CafePress!

Spot on.

Last night, last chance to reherse.
Everyone was spot on.
It is soo damn sweet to hear my words from real characters.
Believe me, i've had my work legitimately butchered before.
One day and about 13 hours to go. Brad is still finding his voice for some of the material thst shifts tone a bit. Leanna Mitchell is kicking ass as...well, you'll just have to wait and see. And Chris "professor twist" burch is the downhome sage I'd invisioned from the get go.

All is well. I feel religious.

Love me, baby...

Starship Troopers

There was a full cast reading on Monday night, and while it wasn't tragic, there were some pacing problems that may have been scary to the uninitiated. I took it in stride.
Last night was the first of two rehersals we'll get to have, officially, before the beginning of shooting on Saturday (April fools day, but who buys into that shit?)
I have to say that I'm really starting to get excited. Everyone is feeling out their parts so well. My leading ladys are beautiful, and a delight, and actually bear suprising resemblances in character to the roles they are playing.
This means less acting and more living the part.
I love that.
Suisan Buie is so sweet and beautiful, she literally makes me want to cry, and Beth Hanic is just a damn sexy creature.
My guys, well, they kick ass.
Brad Watkins was always my boy for the role of Ringo, but the lead, Joey, has made quite a few changes over the past few weeks. Chris Sams, today's Joey, is the man, though. He is younger, happier, and whiter than what the original source material intended, but damn if that boy ain't bringing his A game to this little movie.

Wait until you get a load of Cay and Vance. They may actually steal this flick.

All in all, I'm very excited about this. I can't believe it's finally here. Most importantly, though, I can't wait to play with these people and see what they give me.

They're ready to bring my story to life. Until I have a kid to train in my special blend of Kung-Fu and Breakdancing, I think this is the happiest a bastard like me can ever be.

Now, more Illeana.
I want her bad.

I'm all out of bubblegum...

Is it strange that I'm not at all nervous about this whole "directing my first full length movie in less than a week" thing?
I mean, it is a very big step professionally, if not necessarily personally. Personally, I've had lot greater challenges, believe me.
No, I'm not nervous at all. I know what I want from my crew and actors. I know how I want nearly every shot to be executed. I know what I want on the poster.
And even at this point, the main concerns are still wrangling crew and hopes that the cast are as professional as we need them to be, due to a slightly difficult schedule and total lack of budget. I'm keeping it together.
Honestly, all my concerns lie with whether or not I'm still going to get the product I initially set out to create. There have been MANY asthetic concessions I've had to make on this picture due to everything from tug of war with producers and incorrect assumptions about the material down to just plain lack of possibility.
But this flick being made on an extreme learning curve. For every big thing that fell right into place, there are ten little things that would drive me crazy if I let them. The product will stand as a testament, though. The audience won't know what and where changes had to be made, not until I reveal them in a commentary in a year or so. The audience won't know about the discussion/arguments that I've had about, honestly, matters that would not affect the product on the screen in the LEAST.

But the bottom line is this. I have worked in some form or fashion in a creative state for my entire life. We all know that art is subjective, and everyone has their methods. After some completely foul expiriences with people who had no idea what they wanted out of art, I had decided that being autocratic was the only way to acheive anything. Of course, this state of mind is nearly impossible to maintain realistically, especially in the film world.
but then I hooked up with a bunch of guys that wanted to make something just as bad as I did. And it never felt like anyone was trying to hitch onto anyone elses star.
It felt good.
No one was lazy, waiting for the other to do all the work. there was no vaccum; just a circle of professionals with one goal. get the damn thing done.
This is why Ii'm not nervous.
I can concentrate on my craft, my words, my art.
I can live with the minor concessions, because the big picture is, this thing is getting done.

Feels good.

I'll be loading photos and maybe even some video diary stuff next week.
if anyone reads this, keep coming back. the ride is about to begin.

And now, random girls I mention in the movie.

I know what I like...
I like Women.

T-Minus: Pooh

Shit, son.
It's a week and one day until I begin filming my first effort, "Lounge Act" Nervous? Not really... I don't know what you call this feeling. I can't wait, though.
saturday. I'm planning to get my mind right by watching a few flicks while I work out some story board stuff, and basically just begin to decompress.
* Punch-Drunk Love
* Rushmore
* Goodfellas
* Boogie Nights
* Magnolia
* Made
* The Way of the Gun

Anyone who wants to is more than welcome to join me, but I'm guessing I'll end up catching a few with Ringo, and most of them alone.

Somewhere, out there, there is a girl who wants in on this movie day/film study/pep rally.

Eh, whatever. I'm about to get my Directing on.
Keep the fire.

Illeana Douglas. For no reason other than I want to kiss her in the dark. Sue me.

You assume it is easy out here for a pimp? No, my good sir! The opposite is true!

Okay, so I watched the Oscars. I'd made a vow years ago, when Sam L. Jackson didn't win best suppoting for Pulp Fiction, that I'd not waatch them again until I was nominated. I've stuck to that vow about 40 percent, meaning I've seen parts of the Oscars, here and there for the last 11 years. But I saw most of the oscar ceremony Sunday night, flipping back and forth between the awards show and triumph the Insult Comic Dog on another channel. I wasn't surprised by anything, there were too many pointless montages, and they didn't mention Don Knotts, dennis Weaver, or darrin McGavin on the "People who have died" montage.
Latifah's side breast/arm cleavage has given me enough material to work with for awhile, though. And couple with the spectacular bosom display that is Salma Hayek, plus the mutant juggs sported by one Ms. Dolly Parton, then i'll be sitting in the fabled Cat-bird seat for some time.
people like me, people who want to play along with the stars in the Hollywood toybox, we are a hypocritical, snarky lot.
We can go from "that Oscar crap is just a bunch of people patting each other on the back" to "Here's what I'm gonna wear when I'm nominated" in zero to ten syllables.
It used to be rough. I wanted to hate the show based on the fact that it felt like an eletist club of insider wellwishing, but in reality, it was hard to watch because I wanted to be a part of it so bad, and i'd actually be moved by the cheesy montages, and touched when a lowly sound design guy would get choked up over winning an award for sound editing on "Superfuzz" or "Condorman".
I'd watch the show, get uplifted, then know that in the morning it was back to slinging product in whatever retail outlat I was working at the time. But it wasn't so bad sunday. soon, i'll get to make my own small ripple in the film world. will it win an Oscar. No! but, hopefully, the coriolis effect of fame and stardom. i'm gonna wear black Chuck Taylor's at the ceremony. Don't give a damn who don't like it.

"IT'S HARD OUT HERE FOR MY PANTS!"
J'MEL