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August 27, 2011:

IMAGE + SOUND

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I’m happy to say that we finally have both camera and sound persons and I can now rest easy. I’m a little baffled why this has been so difficult – I know several people who do these web things and they have no problem. I do think those web things are pretty home grown, but I may have to rethink this thing if it’s going to be this difficult, and in rethinking I mean I may have to look into just having friends do the camerawork with whatever digital hi-def camera we can get. And I know the digital sound recorder we used in New York is actually very inexpensive. So, before I shoot the final three episodes I’m going to look into all my options. I do want to finish it all up by the end of September, though. My goal will actually be to finish the last script, cast everything, and then try to film all three episodes’ musical segments in one day (it does go pretty quickly and I’m sure we can do it), and then do all three set-up scenes on the following day. I was originally intending to do two episodes next Friday, but one of my cast members has a family issue and has to go out of town, so I decided to wait. But I can never again do just one episode in one session. The good news is that the minute we wrap the musical part we’re going directly to Jason Graae’s home environment to shoot the set-up scenes. And I’m also doing Melody’s little part (she’s in one of the New York episodes, which I shot in such a way that it will be easy to edit her in). But at least the headache of finding camera and sound is done for now.

Has anyone here used the paypal feature Pay It Later or whatever it’s called? I’ve automatically qualified to use it, but I don’t know what the deal is – whether there’s interest or what – I do know that payments are deferred for something like six months – just curious how it works.

Yesterday was quite an okay day. I got up at nine and was out the door by ten to do the four-mile jog. It was already about ninety degrees out and the day must have topped out at about 105. The evening was still in the high nineties. Then I met the former helper for lunch. It was fun to see her after all these months and she brought her adorable daughter with her. We had a very heartfelt talk and I heard many interesting stories, which only confirmed what I was already thinking. It’s a pretty unbelievable bit of business and that is all I can say at this time.

After lunch, I picked up no packages and no important envelope (or any mail whatsoever). Then I came home, answered e-mails, did a little work at the piano, had a couple of telephonic conversations, went to Gelson’s and got a small halibut filet for my small meal (I’d had a Chinese chicken salad for lunch – not quite enough food for a whole day), and then came home, cooked the halibut and ate it all up as I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD (homegrown) entitled W starring my darling Twiggy and Michael Witney (they met on the film and married), directed by Richard Quine. I remember seeing this film on its opening day in 1974 – I had fallen head over heels in love with Twiggs from The Boy Friend, plus I was a huge fan of director Richard Quine. Put that combo together in a glossy suspense thriller and how could I not love it? Well, I didn’t. In fact, it was pretty horrible any way you looked at it. I barely made it to the end and just remember my extreme disappointment about the whole thing. I hadn’t seen one frame of it since, but sometimes time has a way of being kind to films of that era, especially because I don’t like much American cinema these days. The first surprise came with the music – which was absolutely gorgeous right off the bat – I knew the composer as soon as I heard the first two bars of music – Johnny Mandel. And I was happy to find that it was not the directorial disaster I remembered – in fact, it’s quite stylish and very much of a piece with Quine’s other work. Where the film fails utterly is in its script, which is dreadful. Twiggs is given nothing to play other than whiny and fearful and occasionally goofy, and people just behave so stupidly you want to throttle them. The actors are all fine, with such good character people as John Vernon, Eugene Roche and others. And that score – I’d love to issue it, but I’d guess the tapes are long lost.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’ve got to get these here notes posted so I can listen to the first half of the master for the new Kritzerland release.

Today, I shall do the four-mile jog early, then I have a work session with Vicki Lewis and Joan Ryan at one – that will go till three, then I’ll hopefully pick up a package and an important envelope, after which I’ll pay a visit to a little gathering of film music fans. That’s a little tricky because it’s in Hollywood, but it’s early enough that I think I’ll be able to avoid all Hollywood Bowl traffic. After that, I may or may not see a motion picture.

Tomorrow, we may or may not have a work session with the gals. Next week is insanely busy with rehearsals, meetings, meals, and shooting the third episode of the web series. I also think I’m supposed to see the authored Blu and Ray of Nudie Musical, and there’s just a ton of stuff to do.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the four-mile jog, I must have a work session, I must hopefully pick up an important envelope, I must visit with film music fans and I must perhaps see a motion picture. Today’s topic of discussion: What is your favorite era for clothing? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to know I have both camera and sound.

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