Got my place more so together now. Posters up, Jedis fighting on the fireplace mantle. Yep, feels like home. Got a dresser and futon from Ikea, man is that place overwhelming. Surrounded by fancy Swedish words for furniture, $0.50 hot dogs, and every little knick-knack that you wouldn't think you need; but it’s so CHEAP.
Feels nice to have a livable place again, I was able to write my entire location shoot script in about two hours, when it took me previously four weeks to finish it. Much better place to work. School now is pretty much going to involve Scene Study, Acting and Singing for the next few weeks, as those are the remaining classes with end-of-term presentations. We did the Movement piece on Wednesday, and thank goodness that class is over. One more term with that teacher, and I'd move a mint down his throat until it gets stuck. Or maybe not, I'm not really all that violent or confrontational.
This term has really flown by, and next term should be a lot of fun; location shoots, and headshots and demo reels, oh my. The course really should be longer than one year, but that's a big part of it's appeal. Oh well, I can always do some course somewhere else, hopefully after I've had some on-set work. And that's hoping I can stay in Vancouver. Not something that's entirely impossible, but I couldn't help but feel a great sting of failure if I had to move back to Nova Scotia at the end of the year. Not to say I don't want to come home, but if I'm going to be in a film acting school, I really should be in the largest film production city in the country. I mean, if I want to act, which I still do, which is not something everyone in my class can say.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
I'm Still Alive
Everything's fine here. My living accomodations have certainly improved. Feels good to live with someone I can talk to and not feel the need to avoid. The fact that we know the same people from school, and the fact that some of them are over most of the time is nice too. These are the people I love, and it's great to not feel separated from them. Not to mention the neighbourhood is nicer (in one of the most expensive parts of the city), and once I get a real bed and somewhere to store my clothes, I'll be in business. I don't think air mattresses are designed to be slept on for weeks at a time.
This is coming in the middle of a hectic school storm. I have a presentation in just about every class, need to write a short film script, and most of all a monologue. A monologue that shows the true heart of me. You see, I'm a private person. I don't like to think about myself that way, but I am. That's why it's hard for me to write these. I just don't think I can truly, in every sense of the word express my feelings here. Fear of judgment, I suppose, but just think to yourself, when was the last time your told someone how your truly feel about something (hint: it's probably the thing you least want to tell them.) I just can't bear myself like that. But, that's what acting is. Exposing your true heart for the world to see. Isn't that what you want to see in someone if you go to a performance?
I wrote a monologue already, but it wasn't good enough. I don't know, maybe if I just say what I want to right off the bat, I wouldn't have to reveal bits at a time, and really making things harder than they need to be. It's like sculpting a statue, you keep chipping away the little bits, when it's much less work, but much more risky, to chip off a huge chunk all at once. And now I'm afraid I'm wasting my creative energy here instead of where it needs to be focused. But I can't ignore my adoring public, now can I?
Recently I feel the "pulling-in-all-directions" feeling that I've felt in recent years. I think moreso now that I know literally twice the people I knew seven months ago. The people and what I do here are priority number one. So, sorry back-homers, if you have to wait a bit for me. Or if I ignore you for a bit, not because I hate you, but because I'm taking care of business elsewhere. So cut me a bit of fucking slack here, because I'm doing all I can. And those fuckers either above below or to either side of me are listening to that fucking pulsing music again that keeps me up all night. I know it's a Friday, but holy hell, I want to sleep.
This is coming in the middle of a hectic school storm. I have a presentation in just about every class, need to write a short film script, and most of all a monologue. A monologue that shows the true heart of me. You see, I'm a private person. I don't like to think about myself that way, but I am. That's why it's hard for me to write these. I just don't think I can truly, in every sense of the word express my feelings here. Fear of judgment, I suppose, but just think to yourself, when was the last time your told someone how your truly feel about something (hint: it's probably the thing you least want to tell them.) I just can't bear myself like that. But, that's what acting is. Exposing your true heart for the world to see. Isn't that what you want to see in someone if you go to a performance?
I wrote a monologue already, but it wasn't good enough. I don't know, maybe if I just say what I want to right off the bat, I wouldn't have to reveal bits at a time, and really making things harder than they need to be. It's like sculpting a statue, you keep chipping away the little bits, when it's much less work, but much more risky, to chip off a huge chunk all at once. And now I'm afraid I'm wasting my creative energy here instead of where it needs to be focused. But I can't ignore my adoring public, now can I?
Recently I feel the "pulling-in-all-directions" feeling that I've felt in recent years. I think moreso now that I know literally twice the people I knew seven months ago. The people and what I do here are priority number one. So, sorry back-homers, if you have to wait a bit for me. Or if I ignore you for a bit, not because I hate you, but because I'm taking care of business elsewhere. So cut me a bit of fucking slack here, because I'm doing all I can. And those fuckers either above below or to either side of me are listening to that fucking pulsing music again that keeps me up all night. I know it's a Friday, but holy hell, I want to sleep.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Long Live The D
Wow. Pretty sure I just saw the greatest show of my life tonight. Tenacious D's last concert on their Pick Of Destiny tour in Vancouver. I have their Complete Masterworks DVD with a concert from England, done in 2002. I expected the concert to be something similar to that, mostly just the guys with their guitars, with a few stage bits thrown in. Man has the show changed since then, namely due to the movie that they made.
The show starts with the two guys waking up on the couch in KG's apartment. They pick up their guitars and do a few songs. And if this was all the show was, I'd still be thrilled. So Lee comes in around the end of Wonderboy, and spills beer on the electrical wires. Jack gives him hell for that, but they play on. Then Jack gets the idea to ditch KG's acoustic and go electric. He hauls out something a hobo sold him, made from a toilet seat, tinfoil and strings made from tiger innards. Jack plugs it in, and the beer spill mentioned earlier causes them to die an go to hell. This is where the show really amps up.
Via a large screen on stage, we see the boys meet a fella looking a lot like "Jesus f***ing Christ" shredding on a Gibson EDS-1275. It turns out he's actually the antichrist, but he gets the Jesus thing a lot. So they ask him to join their party. Then they come across Colonel Sanders (in hell because of murdering millions of chickens) who drums, and Charlie Chaplin (in hell for being gay, y'know) who plays bass. Now they are the Fellowship Of The D.
So the guys come back on stage, and an elaborate hell set is revealed, with a triple-bass (666) drum kit, two smoking towers, and lots of cool lights. Here they play pretty much all the songs from the movie, which is pretty surprising how they adapted the story to their hell situation. This part of the show rocks pretty damn hard. The encore features "Tribute", and that's how the greatest show in the world ends. Seriously, this is something I never in a million years thought I would see in person. With Jacks movie career I thought the D would be a passing phase in his life, but they've actually been around for over ten years now. On the surface they may just seem like some novelty comedy act, but they're a lot more than just that. Their songs are really rocking, with some great vocals from Jack and guitar compositions from KG.
Anyway, I know I'm gushing here, but I'm just really pumped from this. It's a night I'll remember for a long time to come, and also a great thing to rub into a lot of faces.
The show starts with the two guys waking up on the couch in KG's apartment. They pick up their guitars and do a few songs. And if this was all the show was, I'd still be thrilled. So Lee comes in around the end of Wonderboy, and spills beer on the electrical wires. Jack gives him hell for that, but they play on. Then Jack gets the idea to ditch KG's acoustic and go electric. He hauls out something a hobo sold him, made from a toilet seat, tinfoil and strings made from tiger innards. Jack plugs it in, and the beer spill mentioned earlier causes them to die an go to hell. This is where the show really amps up.
Via a large screen on stage, we see the boys meet a fella looking a lot like "Jesus f***ing Christ" shredding on a Gibson EDS-1275. It turns out he's actually the antichrist, but he gets the Jesus thing a lot. So they ask him to join their party. Then they come across Colonel Sanders (in hell because of murdering millions of chickens) who drums, and Charlie Chaplin (in hell for being gay, y'know) who plays bass. Now they are the Fellowship Of The D.
So the guys come back on stage, and an elaborate hell set is revealed, with a triple-bass (666) drum kit, two smoking towers, and lots of cool lights. Here they play pretty much all the songs from the movie, which is pretty surprising how they adapted the story to their hell situation. This part of the show rocks pretty damn hard. The encore features "Tribute", and that's how the greatest show in the world ends. Seriously, this is something I never in a million years thought I would see in person. With Jacks movie career I thought the D would be a passing phase in his life, but they've actually been around for over ten years now. On the surface they may just seem like some novelty comedy act, but they're a lot more than just that. Their songs are really rocking, with some great vocals from Jack and guitar compositions from KG.
Anyway, I know I'm gushing here, but I'm just really pumped from this. It's a night I'll remember for a long time to come, and also a great thing to rub into a lot of faces.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Hard Times Out Of The Maritimes
So I'm up in the gym, just workin' on fitness last Thursday. My phone has a text from my roommate saying bad news. Now, maybe he's joking? He was supposed to talk to his dad in China about getting money to pay the Shaw bill. So maybe he's setting me up for a real laugh, although it would be pretty out of character for him to do so. So I get outside and call him, maybe hoping for a taste of the news to come. He says he'll talk to me when I come home. Huh. Weird, maybe he's waiting for me to walk in the door, and he'll turn on the TV, and we'll see a rerun of America's Funniest Home Videos on our restored cable. When I finally did get home, a home video of a cat falling off a TV was the last thing on my mind.
I come in and ask him what's up. He says we need to be out. By tomorrow afternoon. You see, he hasn't been paying his half of the rent since December. Since I moved in with him, we pretty much had a "Notice to End Tenancy" on the door a few days into the month. But he's always worked something out. But this is new management, and they're not taking any of his shit anymore. The day before this, I saw him "organizing" some stuff, so he told me. He thought they weren't serious when they said he had to be out by Friday at 4pm, when they change the locks. So he didn't tell me then, maybe he didn't want to worry me. Regardless, this leaves me having to pack EVERYTHING I own in one night, with about five minutes warning. So I start ripping down posters, and taking some paint off the walls with 'em. Like I care. My name wasn't on the rent, thankfully, so I won't get screwed down the road because of this. Good thing I kept my mailing address in Nova Scotia.
I start calling people, asking them if I can, well, live with them until I find a new place. Luckily, I get something arranged for the next week or so, plus I get some help moving all my stuff. It isn't until you move that you realize how much useless crap you have. Way too many clothes. Plus, I bought $50 worth of groceries over the past two days, and there was no way I was leaving that behind. So I had to move bags of that stuff too. What a pain.
So now it's back to the fun game of looking for an affordable apartment close to my school in downtown Vancouver BC; a daunting task, to be certain. I'm a little better off now than when I first moved here, as far as knowing the areas of the city goes, and it's not the time of year when a bunch of students move into new places. Plus, I have someone to look for a place with me. Which also creates a problem.
She told me that her dad put in an application to a place, and, in the heat of the excitement of maybe just having a place, I said I'd move in with her. But we haven't heard back from the place yet. So looks like we're going hunting during my week off, which should actually be easier when you're looking with someone; 2 bedrooms between two people is usually cheaper than a studio for one person. The problem arrives in the form of another place possibly being available to me, but me being bound to this other person by my word, something I would never want to go back on. The other possibly available place I speak of is a room in a house, for a pretty good price, and only a few SkyTrain stops from the school.
I like the house I'm staying in now. For some reason, I feel more at home here over the two days, than I ever did in the months I spent at my apartment. Maybe it's the fact that I actually like the people here, maybe it's the pets, maybe it's just the fact that it's a house and not an apartment; but it's nice. I'll keep everyone posted as developments transpire.
I have my first paying acting gig tomorrow. Something called "Walla". No, that's not the name of the show, it's when actors stand around and talk to each other and get paid for it. Yep. The audio is recorded in a studio and is used for ambient noise in public areas, such as a school, restaurant, or tattoo parlor. Should be fun. Or dreadfully boring, either way, it's monies for me.
And I get to see the greatest band in the world on Wednesday. So it looks like all is not bad in the world of Will. All living arrangement issues aside, everything is pretty peachy. Oh, and I shaved, so please enjoy these amusing photographs of the shaving process, complete with final product:
I come in and ask him what's up. He says we need to be out. By tomorrow afternoon. You see, he hasn't been paying his half of the rent since December. Since I moved in with him, we pretty much had a "Notice to End Tenancy" on the door a few days into the month. But he's always worked something out. But this is new management, and they're not taking any of his shit anymore. The day before this, I saw him "organizing" some stuff, so he told me. He thought they weren't serious when they said he had to be out by Friday at 4pm, when they change the locks. So he didn't tell me then, maybe he didn't want to worry me. Regardless, this leaves me having to pack EVERYTHING I own in one night, with about five minutes warning. So I start ripping down posters, and taking some paint off the walls with 'em. Like I care. My name wasn't on the rent, thankfully, so I won't get screwed down the road because of this. Good thing I kept my mailing address in Nova Scotia.
I start calling people, asking them if I can, well, live with them until I find a new place. Luckily, I get something arranged for the next week or so, plus I get some help moving all my stuff. It isn't until you move that you realize how much useless crap you have. Way too many clothes. Plus, I bought $50 worth of groceries over the past two days, and there was no way I was leaving that behind. So I had to move bags of that stuff too. What a pain.
So now it's back to the fun game of looking for an affordable apartment close to my school in downtown Vancouver BC; a daunting task, to be certain. I'm a little better off now than when I first moved here, as far as knowing the areas of the city goes, and it's not the time of year when a bunch of students move into new places. Plus, I have someone to look for a place with me. Which also creates a problem.
She told me that her dad put in an application to a place, and, in the heat of the excitement of maybe just having a place, I said I'd move in with her. But we haven't heard back from the place yet. So looks like we're going hunting during my week off, which should actually be easier when you're looking with someone; 2 bedrooms between two people is usually cheaper than a studio for one person. The problem arrives in the form of another place possibly being available to me, but me being bound to this other person by my word, something I would never want to go back on. The other possibly available place I speak of is a room in a house, for a pretty good price, and only a few SkyTrain stops from the school.
I like the house I'm staying in now. For some reason, I feel more at home here over the two days, than I ever did in the months I spent at my apartment. Maybe it's the fact that I actually like the people here, maybe it's the pets, maybe it's just the fact that it's a house and not an apartment; but it's nice. I'll keep everyone posted as developments transpire.
I have my first paying acting gig tomorrow. Something called "Walla". No, that's not the name of the show, it's when actors stand around and talk to each other and get paid for it. Yep. The audio is recorded in a studio and is used for ambient noise in public areas, such as a school, restaurant, or tattoo parlor. Should be fun. Or dreadfully boring, either way, it's monies for me.
And I get to see the greatest band in the world on Wednesday. So it looks like all is not bad in the world of Will. All living arrangement issues aside, everything is pretty peachy. Oh, and I shaved, so please enjoy these amusing photographs of the shaving process, complete with final product:
Monday, February 05, 2007
Is This Thing On?
Hey all. Sorry for the long delay. The no-showing has been caused by a family crisis that involves myself, China, and Shaw Cable. Y'see, my roommate handles all the bills, I just pay him a flat fee every month. As of November, the roomies mother in China stops paying the cable bill that came off her credit card automatically. So not only did we lose the internet in December, we now don't have cable. And he's trying to get this taken care of with his dad, also in China, but it doesn't seem to be going well. So none of this is my fault, and I can't really tell the guy to take care of it anymore than I have to. So I'm writing this from a classmate's place, who generously gives of her wi-fi, and sweet 32-inch HDTV. She also gives her groceries to me. And her mom might give me a printer.
So onto to school business. We're working with this guy named Larry Kent, a moderately famous Canadian director. This guy has a very unique style that's been described as "raw" and "truthie". Gives Colbert a run for his money, I guess. To get acquainted with this guy, we all sit in front of the camera and tell a story with which we have a strong emotional connection. So people get up, and tell their stories. And we get ripped-up by the guy. No one showed any real emotion, everyone was BS, etc. So we go up again, and more people get it; except for me and a few other people. Now I'm starting to get what he wants. I mean, my other stories were pretty weak, I was talking about things that I put behind me. So this THIRD story is better. I at least showed something, but I couldn't keep my focus. I wasn't mad at the guy for pointing this out; I was mad at myself. I knew all this about myself, and I don't want to show my weaknesses, especially pointed out in front of the class.
Larry also asks us about our favourite movies and actors, and guess what? He doesn't like our taste. We all like these awful "commercial" movies, that don't have any "real" acting. We need to watch some real actors in real movies (read: dead people in old flicks.) I'm not saying this to bash the guy, I just like sharing his method with people; treat the students like adults. Which I guess means not agreeing with anything they say or do, but that's the adult world for yah. I start working with this guy in three days, playing a terrorist interrogator. Sounds a lot like a "24"-type scenario, which is good, because that's one of the least commercial shows I've seen.
So onto to school business. We're working with this guy named Larry Kent, a moderately famous Canadian director. This guy has a very unique style that's been described as "raw" and "truthie". Gives Colbert a run for his money, I guess. To get acquainted with this guy, we all sit in front of the camera and tell a story with which we have a strong emotional connection. So people get up, and tell their stories. And we get ripped-up by the guy. No one showed any real emotion, everyone was BS, etc. So we go up again, and more people get it; except for me and a few other people. Now I'm starting to get what he wants. I mean, my other stories were pretty weak, I was talking about things that I put behind me. So this THIRD story is better. I at least showed something, but I couldn't keep my focus. I wasn't mad at the guy for pointing this out; I was mad at myself. I knew all this about myself, and I don't want to show my weaknesses, especially pointed out in front of the class.
Larry also asks us about our favourite movies and actors, and guess what? He doesn't like our taste. We all like these awful "commercial" movies, that don't have any "real" acting. We need to watch some real actors in real movies (read: dead people in old flicks.) I'm not saying this to bash the guy, I just like sharing his method with people; treat the students like adults. Which I guess means not agreeing with anything they say or do, but that's the adult world for yah. I start working with this guy in three days, playing a terrorist interrogator. Sounds a lot like a "24"-type scenario, which is good, because that's one of the least commercial shows I've seen.
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