Well, dear readers, I must write these here notes in a hurry for I must be up at seven, out the door by seven-twenty to do the four-mile jog. Can you believe it’s already the second day of September? This month is flying by, like a gazelle singing the greatest hits of The Four Preps. The amazing thing about the latter is that the gazelle sings all four parts at once, as only a gazelle can. The first day of September was non-stop going and doing and also doing and going. I got up at nine, answered e-mails, had some telephonic conversations, and then did the four-mile jog.
Once back, I had work to do at the piano, and stuff to e-mail people. I also had to get everything prepared for today’s shoot – printing out SAG paperwork, printing out scripts, making sure I had everything we need for playback, as well as backups on the laptop for same. I also had to fill out more paperwork for the Nudie Musical Blu and Ray replication company – I think I’ve finally filled out everything and we can move straight forward as soon as the authoring place gets me the final check disc to check out and then approve. They’ll then overnight the master to the replication place, which is back east. Meanwhile, we’re trying to get our packaging ready here, but my designer has been in absentia for most of the week, which is very frustrating for me. Hopefully, he’ll be around over the long weekend and can actually do the work we need to do. I also have to do a release blurb – I was going to try and give JMK a bluray.com exclusive announcement, but I guess he’s off attending to bar mitzvah things as he hasn’t responded to my e-mail about it. So, I guess I’ll just send it out on Tuesday.
I also have to figure out how I’m going to handle sales on amazon. I have not been shipping them any product in the last three months, nor have I put Jason Graae up there yet (I will be getting his album on CD Baby and iTunes in the next week or so). The reason is because it’s simply not worth it anymore with amazon. There was a time when they were selling enough product that I was getting a reasonable amount of dough every month – but that hasn’t happened in a long time. And they are taking SIXTY percent to my forty and that’s just insanity. Not only that, I have to pay to ship them all the discs they want. It’s just stupid. So, I’m going to write them and have a little discussion about it because I will not give them the Nudie Blu and Ray for forty percent. There’s no point in it. The alternative is to become an amazon seller and open a Kritzerland shop – I can do that but sometimes it’s weird getting the product listed and showing up. But that way, they can only take a tiny percent of what you sell, and I can mark the disc up to cover that percentage. And I can also put up our CDs that way, too – even the limited editions, which I can then un-list when they’re sold out. I think that’s probably the way to go. I wouldn’t mind giving them the standard dealer discount of thirty percent, but sixty percent is just the height of chutzpah on their part. In any case, there are a lot of things to do, Nudie-wise, and I think I’ll make a list this weekend so that I don’t forget anything.
Then we had our second rehearsal for the Gardenia show. The Singer has now taken over for an ailing cast member – she’s very excited to finally do one of these and she sounds really good on her three songs. Ruth Williamson is a hoot and a half doing Ooh, My Feet. She’s just a genuinely funny comedienne and has great instincts and timing. Everyone else did really well – Kelsey Scott, Kim Huber, Alet (daughter Lucy was sick, so she didn’t come), and Melody. It’s a really fun show with great Loesser songs – the man was completely unique as a songwriter and every song in our show is a gem.
After rehearsal, I went out to sup with Melody and her family – hadn’t done a dinner since her show – we all are now like an extended family and they missed me and I missed them, so we’re going to try to dine at least once a week from now on. Melody will be doing her show again right after her fourteenth birthday in April of 2012, but we’re hoping to book it a couple of other places before then. They’re really excited about the CD of her show, too.
Then I came home and finished writing some notes for an insert that will come inside the Nudie Musical package – it’s basically about the transfer and sound. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get as much beauty sleep as I can before arising very early.
Today, I shall be up at seven, do the four-mile jog, then shave and shower and mosey on over to where we’re shooting in the Bank of Bur. The crew and I are getting there at nine-thirty in the hopes they’ll let us load in then so that we’re ready to start working at ten. The actors arrive at ten and we’ll begin rehearsing the number while the camera gal and I plan our shots. I’m hoping we’re ready for a take by ten-thirty, and then we just shoot the master (probably two or three takes of it) and then we move in for the coverage, which we’ll do a lot of, from various angles. Hoping we can be finished by twelve-thirty at the latest. Then we’ll shoot Melody’s bit, which should only take thirty minutes. If we wrap at two, we’ll dump the footage and sound onto the hard drive right then. Then the crew and Jason and I will go to Jason’s house to shoot his opening scene. It should go fairly quickly since it’s just him. Just a couple of angles and we’re done. I then have to hurry home for a conference call with Miss Cindy Williams and a writer friend of hers. I will probably need to relax in the evening.
Tomorrow, I have to finish one set of liner notes and begin another. I also have to finish some work at the piano, and I have to cast the next three episodes in terms of the ensemble, as well as find a camera and sound person. Since it looks like we have to shoot on a Saturday, I’m hoping that will be easier than it was for today’s shoot. The rest of the long weekend is for resting. Normally I go to a little holiday party down the street, but I haven’t gotten an invite so I’ll have to find something else to do, or, better yet, I’ll do nothing.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the old-fashioned waltz, for today is the birthday of dear reader Ron Pulliam. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to dear reader Ron Pulliam. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO DEAR READER RON PULLIAM!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, get up early, do the four-mile jog, get ready, do a shoot at two locations, have a conference call, eat, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, nothing – no time. Blu and Ray, Whiskey Galore then Raising Arizona. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland and then shoot an episode of the web series.