Things have been going down
Since my last update (almost a month ago) things have been going down.
A student at GVSU was shot on accident or something--no one really knows--I've gone unprotected on Twitter, I asked for more hours at my new job, debt is slowly consuming me, I've started to drink more water, I've been on a Kanye West binge, I've switched Twitter clients on my Mac (from Twitterrific to Lounge), I've started trimming my comic solicitations (that happened today!), and the biggest of them all: Jeff & Mike Write A Comic Book has begun shooting.
Let's talk about that last one a bit more. So! After GVSU's spring break I went to the GVTV meeting that Wednesday and after finding out my producer and (former) director were unavailable to shoot that weekend and was feeling kind of crappy about the show. It didn't seem to be going anywhere. So many delays with people and I figured it was never going to get aired. Anyways, at the GVTV meeting I mentioned that we were delayed due to people's availablity John Tremblay jumped on top of things. We had our location, we had our actors--well, two of four--and all was ready to shoot so a crew was assembled on the spot. It was then that I managed to the courage to ask one of the members of the GVTV club to be "Frenemy" on the show. I had been wimping out for the last two weeks to do so and as soon as I asked him he immediately said yes. So we were set. All we needed was the girl character: "Andrea."
After the GVTV meeting I was so excited for the show I decided to treat Dallas and Jeff to some 'late nite' food at the Main St. Pub just off campus. We sat down and hung out for a bit and Jeff and I explained our show to a bunch of Jeff's friends who we ended up sitting with and for some reason this girl, her name is Ashley, was like, "If you guys ever need any help, let me know," to which I asked if she wanted to play "Andrea" on the show. She agreed and I almost jumped ten feet in the air because, hey!, we managed to get our whole cast set in one effing day!
So our first day of shooting was planned for that Saturday (March 14 for reference) with the new crew (John Tremblay, Adam Burl, Ryan Smith, Jon Sessions, and Randy Strobl) and the whole cast (Jeff, Randy, Ashley, and myself). Ashley ended up not even being needed, so I sent her home, but after about four hours of shooting, Randy was taking control of the directing and I just threw it out there that we really didn't have a director and if he wanted the position, it was his to take. Again, he immediately said yes. All of the awesomeness goes to John Sessions for the mastery on his part that day. After six hours of shooting we packed things up and it was an incredible day.
This past weekend (the 21st) we found out we had to re-shoot almost all of what we shot the previous weekend due to some lighting issues and some mis-matching with a camera that no one could predict--which was no problem at all. We started shooting at about 1:30pm and kept on going until about 7. We were only a three piece crew after Greg Farmer--our producer--showed up then after her left, Leah Vukovich showed up to save the day. All in all, we filmed a few different scenes and, according to the crew, everything looked a lot better and Jeff and I were pretty good as well. All in all I was satisfied with everything we got done. I'm so pumped for filming the rest of the show.. which will be taking place at Nick & Rob's. ha!
From how things are going, the show will be airing next semester (September '09). I'm excited to see how ridiculous it all looks on screen.
Writing more and more (and more)
So, since I had my TV show accepted to be made on GVtv, I've been working on and off on the script(s) for the show.
I think today I finally finished a full 24-minute script done and ready for production though. For a while, I was stuck writing 10 or so minute scripts and I was trying to add filler that wasn't too funny. Luckily my friends Jeff and Nick were there to help me get through those not-so-funny times (I mean, I'm trying to write a clever and funny comedy here!) and I think the pilot episode I have is pretty good.
Sadly, this has been pulling away from my comic book reviews on DestroyTheCyb.org! and that's never good! (It seriously isn't good how much I have been lacking lately) so I'm making it a goal for the next 3 weeks while I'm on winter break to write at least .75-1 review a day. That should be too hard, right?
On top of that I recently lost one of my two jobs. Yeah, big deal, but not really a big deal. The facts are/were these:
- This job (aka CTS) was like... 4th on my list of priorities and they pretty much knew this by the end of this semester
- With School coming in at number 1, my job as a Web Developer at number 2, and comics/freelance work coming in at number 3 in a straight tie
- On my last shift, some bull shit that I has suspected about co-workers and supervisors talking shit behind my back about me was TRUE which makes me wonder why they didn't just fire me back in October when all of my ideas of "I'm probably getting fired" came into my mind and as I assume came to theirs as well
- Then again, I was being a super fuck-face via Twitter talking bad about one of my former-not-really-my-boss-bosses, which pretty much put them over the threshold to fire me--which my real boss came to tell me
- But in all seriousness, I wish I would have been "let go" or whatever back in October because I really fucking hated working at 6:30am and getting bitched at for oversleeping when all of my bosses and supervisors knew that morning shifts and I have never gotten along at all (given the problems I had last winter semester).
- Half of me votes conspiracy... but that's the impractical, cynical and outrageous half of me.
- When it all came down to it, I told them right-out I knew it was coming and left as a gentlemen and shook all of their hands. They told me if need be I could use them as a reference because overall, they really are all nice guys. And really, they told me I wasn't being "fired" but more of "not being invited back" which when I think about it means "we don't need any liabilities for this" which is understandable... I guess.
So I'm out one job, but it's really not so bad. Now I have more time to work for the web team and more time to do the things that were already higher on my list of priorities for next semester.
My only real gripes right now are that my show is funny. Man I don't want to have a sucky TV show... Hopefully once we get things recorded I'll find a way to get it online and you, the internet community, can judge me...
So that's what's up with me. What's up with you lately?
Just a few things
Let's see here...
So, in my last post I said I pitched a TV show.... well, it was liked and is being made into a TV show on GVtv! How about that! I start working officially on it on December 2. Hell to the yes! My only problem is I need to write as much as I can (script-wise) and hope I'm as funny as I really think I am. I plan on spending a bunch of this Thanksgiving break working on at least 1-2 more episodes... (I have the pilot pretty much done)
On a completely different note, I'm seriously getting into this playlist thing I made a while back. Check it out here: http://www.mikerapin.com/playlist/. Basically, what it does is parses iTunes XML (aka a playlist) and prints it out--but in an odd way that I'm working on--and yea. I like it to just show people what I'm listening to. I'm working on make it more efficient and such with more data, but the problem I find is that not all audio files have all the data you need (lyrics, album name, genre), so it gets complicated--note to self: TRY-CATCH BLOCKS PLZ.
One more final awesomeness I'm doing starting tonight at midnight: Fasting. Before you get antsy, I'm doing this on a bet... a stupid bet, but a bet nonetheless. 3 of my friends are seeing who can go the longest without eating (water is the only thing we can consume) and the winner gets a monster-sized dinner bought by the losers. All based on the honor system of course, but hey, we're all honest guys (more or less) but especially with this stuff.
So, we'll see how that all goes in the next day or so (I give myself 28 hours tops), but this TV show stuff shall be fucking incredible. If all goes according to plan, we should see the first episodes next semester and yea.
