A Corrobboree Toadlet somewhere in the Kosciusko NP (sometime in the 70s).

Notes From Xanadu

I am playing the role of a 60s year old widower with an estranged son and a stoma in the esophagus, for a Tropfest 2010 entry. Not a difficult role; I have to limp using a walking stick, not speak (my larynx has been excised), and offer a range of facial expressions from loathing for my son to new found love for my grand-daughter.

I am impressed by the creative, management skill and discipline of this young team from Fluid Screen Media. They cope with unforeseen changes, the production yesterday at a minus-3-star city motel was impeccable and the continuity of filming, set preparation, wardrobe, make-up, and support was impressive. I learned much.

The first problem arose when my about-to-be-newly-found grandson refused to be involved and had to be taken home. He was substituted by a granddaughter and a different son and it worked well – for me anyway. However, this meant sitting around the minus-3-star motel for an additional 90 minutes, which wasn’t a burden; I caught up on technical podcasts and watched the range of guests arriving and departing. This volume of people caused another problem; the scene in the motel reception had to be abandoned. And the Asian staff of this rathole were generously accommodating. At 20:30 I had had enough and was forced to abandon the set and head home for rest with a slight guilt shadow that I was letting them down.

Today we move back in time to when the son arrives at my Tempe house and we proceed through some intense ‘dislike changing to perplexed’ scenes; I am pleased I only have to script my face and not deliver a speech on what went wrong with our relationship as acting is not a simple craft.

The Tropfest 2010 deadline is the 7 January and the entry cannot exceed 7 minutes; if Fluid Screen Media get the entry in, I will be impressed; if they get to the shortlist I will be delighted for them, and that I could help. My involvement is the easiest; I just turn up and go through the various shooting requirements; they have to organize lighting, food, sets, script, people, unforeseen changes; a very complex set of logistics.

Today’s Podcast

“Mary Wollstonecraft”, In Our Time, 31 December 2009, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pg5dt

She was the mother of Mary Shelly and feminism. You will have to subscribe through iTunes as there appears to be a block on streaming this. Worth the trouble though.