Midway Wicked Woods

Thanks to Richard Gaither for being a huge help in getting us all the resources of the Midway Wicked Woods Haunted Trail. It's helping me make the Dead By Dawn episode exactly the way I see it in my head. I was more than happy to help with their commercial. Here's what I was able to put together from the footage Richard shot.

Midway Wicked Woods 30 second spot.

Donate

Capital Area Foodbank of Texas is in dire need of donations. They're doing their best to take care of the influx of Hurricane Ike victims and they need help.

From Austinfoodbank.com:

Donations depleted. Urgent call for more donations. As of 2:00 p.m. the Food Bank is unable to fulfill emergency boxes onsite. Food Bank utilizing $25,000 donated from public to purchase more food and supplies.

You can make a cash donation.
Capital Area Foodbank of Texas
http://www.austinfoodbank.org/hurricane-ike-disaster-relief/i-want-to-help.html
Other ways you can help with donations. Make a donation to the American Red Cross.

American Red Cross
http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ggl_main&s_src=F7FWE001

Even in what some would say is a financial and economic crisis, we still need to find a way to help and support those in need.

Let's do some good.

Setec Astronomy

COSMO
The world isn't run by weapons anymore, or energy or money. It's run by ones and zeroes, little bits of data. It's all just electrons.

The world is spinning. It's something I say to myself all the time. Obvious, of course, but still another way to state that not only is the planet on it's axis, but also that the world, in general, is functioning, and often wildly.

In the past month, along with the usual chaos, hurricanes, devestation, gas prices, and today another indication of the faltering economy. Another corporate bailout, Wall Street is reeling, and we're less than 60 days away from a historic presidential election. Alot's going on. The world is spinning.

Not quite sure why, but I am reminded of a scene from a highly underated movie from the 80's. Sneakers.


Great direction by Phil Alden Robinson, it's got one of my favorite scores from James Horner, and it had some great lines in it.

COSMO
There's a war out there, old friend, a world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think. It's all about the information.

And one of my fav lines.

WHISTLER
I want peace on earth and good will toward men.

ABBOT
We are the United States Government, we don't do that sort of thing!

It was caper movie, about spies and break ins, covert ops, and cons and setups. Ocean's 11 before Ocean's 11. Panned by critics, but there was a brilliance to it I absolutely loved. It was clever.

After watching the news today I thought of one scene in particular where Marty, played by Robert Redford, is having a conversation with his long lost best friend who is a computer hacker turned organized crime figure played by Ben Kingsly.

COSMO
What's wrong with this country, Marty? Money. You taught me that. Evil defense contractors had it, noble causes did not. Politicians are bought and sold like so much chattel. Our problems multiply. Pollution, crime, drugs, poverty, disease, hunger, despair. We throw gobs of money at them. The problems always get worse. Why is that? Money's most powerful ability is to allow bad people to do bad things...at the expense of those who don't have it.

MARTY
I agree. Who did you say you were working for?

COSMO
That's just my day job. While in prison, I learned everything in this world, including money...operates not on reality...

MARTY
But the perception of reality.

COSMO
Posit: People think a bank might be financially shaky.

MARTY
Consequence: People start to withdraw their money.

COSMO
Result: Soon, it is financially shaky.

MARTY
Conclusion: You can make banks fail.

COSMO
I've already done that. Maybe you've read about a few? Think bigger.

MARTY
Stock market?

COSMO
Yes.

MARTY
Currency market? Commodities market?

COSMO
Yes.

MARTY
Small countries?

COSMO
I might even be able to crash the whole damn system. Destroy all records of ownership. Think of it, Marty. No more rich people, no more poor people, everybody's the same. Isn't that what we said we always wanted?

Everything in this world operates not on reality, but the perception of reality.

That line always made alot of sense to me.

Anyhoo.

Here's a 45 second intro I cut together for Monster Cops. It's a work in progress.


Monster Cops intro1 from one spartan on Vimeo.

Dead By Dawn: Zombies Take 1

Back at Northwood Stables for more zombie work. This time around we had a great turn out. Had a ton of zombies and all of them were great to work with. Allow me to share some photos.

These were taken by the amazing and very talented Julie Keels.

Sundown at the Northwood Stables.

Let the make up begin!

Brian Tally, jack of all trades.  Today he is filling in on make up duty.

Assisting Brian, Deanna Kelly.

You go Deanna!

The essence of a movie set.  Pure waiting.

More waiting.

and standing

and joking

Digging through the gear box. Pick your guns people!

Rehearsing formation

Nicole looks like she wants to shoot Brandon in the back.

Patrick, yelling at people

Patrick left.

Trying to figure out the beats, waiting for zombies to finish with make up,

and waiting for the sun to go down.

pretty

Brandon attempts to shoot Nicole in the back.

Richard Gaither on the left, Nicole Nastazzio on the right.

Directing zombies, fun.

It's night time

The best part is making them fall.

The cops, waiting to kill.

Directing Nicole.  No Nicole you can't really kill them.

Firing order.

BANG!

LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!

(she spins) BANG!

Ok everyone up!

It's always a good idea to shake hands with your zombies before killing them.

Nicole turns into a zombie.  No wait she's just hugging everyone.

More waiting.

Deanna finishing up on Cat.

How very vogue.

Work it Deana!  Work It!

Some fun shots.  Brandon in constant character, as usual.

Action Brandon

this one cracks me up.  i think it's because of the wagon.

Brandon decides to shoot Camera Chick Julie.

Action Chris!

SPIDER!!!!

Quick kill it!

It WON'T DIE!!!!

Lethal Weapon pose.

Alright, All zombies altogether now!

The zombies wait for Patrick to get his crap together.

Richard on the left, Jacob Hauser on the right.

Everyone back in position!!!

READY!

Now stand.

Zombies prepare for death.

Honestly, great numbers that night.  Thanks to everyone who showed.

NOW FALL!!!

play dead

once more, with feeling.

kill em.

Gotta get that master shot.

The guys pointing out my baldness.

Ok now, die.

Finish em off Jacob!

Brandon went rabid.

Seriously, thank you to everyone who came out and helped.  To all the zombies, to Megan for getting all the signatures, to Brian and Deanna for applying the make up, to Arlanda who although couldn't make it provided the make up, of course to Kelly Emerson and Fam for letting us take over their place yet again, To everyone else for falling down on the grass over and over again mainly because I'm a sadistic bastard and I like to watch you all get injured.  I had a great time, I hope you did too.  I hope there was plenty of drinks, pizza, and cookies (which disappeared in the first hour.)  Of course thanks a bunch to Julie Keels, last time for filling in the Vampire Vixen role, this time around for your amazing photos, it's such a relief having an actual proffesional photographer on set.

Ok  hope to see most of you again for our next few big shoots. 

And thanks to everyone for voting on projectbreakout.  It was a close one, but unfortunately not in the cards.  It's all good though, winning contests, although a nice bonus for Monster Cops, is not part of the overall plan.  But it's nice to know there is much support for MC.  Thanks everyone.