"Shell Game"...A Short Film I'm In...Is Available To Watch!

Late last year a friend sent out a post on social media. He had access to an incredible piece of video equipment and he was itching to try it out. He asked if anyone would want to help him out by being in a short film.

Of course, I responded.

The end result was posted on YouTube yesterday. It's called, Shell Game, and it's pretty cool.

There was a time when I thought about getting into film and TV as a career. I did some extra work back in the 1990s, and last year I was in my first commercial. I haven't actively sought out rolls--it's a fickle business at best and, well...I know who I am, what I look like, how I sound. I realized a long time ago that to be successful in the industry (other than having a great work attitude and talent...), you need to offer a product people want to see. I may dedicate more time to it in the future, but for now, I'm good.

Needless to say, the whole experience was a blast! I got to be a bad guy, a double-crosser who is caught by the big boss, a bigger and badder character than me. Once I'm found out, I'm given my options and the means by which to carry out those options. I should stop talking about it and just give you the link so you can watch it yourself--you can access the film by clicking: HERE. Seriously, it'll take you less time to watch it than it will to read this post.

Thanks to Nathan Riddle, Hawk Westerfield, and Chelsea Jurkiewicz for their excellent acting (and writing), and Geoffrey Leatham for great camera work.

It's still mind-boggling to me the access we have to create art. Only a few decades earlier, creating something like this would require a lot more money and time. I'm not implying it's not hard work now--it is, but for the "Average Joe" to be able to make a film like this, it still blows me away.

If you've got five minutes, click on the link. Also, if you could give a "like" on the YouTube page, that helps immensely. And, it would be fun to hear your thoughts about the film--plus, I'd LOVE to hear how you think the story ended. Shell Game, a fun little project!

Checked Out "The Griddle" Podcast Today...Down-Home Fun!

Podcasts are to this decade what blogs were to the last decade. That's not a bad thing--in fact, it's great. Now anyone can become a broadcaster and content creator, all you need is a microphone and the internet. Heck, you can do it all from your phone.

Having said all that, I finally got around to listening to a new podcast called, The Griddle Podcast. You can access it from the Apple Store, or by clicking: HERE. It stars Merle Maples and Harley Hanks as two conversationalists who dispense down-home wisdom like rain from the heavens. And just like rain from the heavens, you'll get wet whether you want to or not.

There's a couple of things this podcast has going for it. First, it's length. The first four episodes last a total of 1 hour and 24 minutes, averaging twenty-one minutes each. It's just about perfect for their format. Second, it's very folksy, and by folksy, I mean folksy. As you listen, you feel as though you've walked into the pair as they sit at the local gas station/fast food joint shooting the bull talking about anything, everything...basically, whatever comes across their collective minds. And even when the episode concludes, you have the impression that Merle and Harley are still jawing, still flapping their gums, still having a good time.

That's the podcast's biggest strength, I think. It's the two men having a good time. You'd have to when covering topics like, Idaho not existing, conspiracy theories, bum sticks (yeah, I wrote that correctly...), scary stories, and even a game show.

If there's one criticism I have it's that it's best not to listen to the podcast on double-speed, or even three-quarter speed. There's definitely a charm hearing the men just chat, at their own speed. I hardly ever listen to a podcast at normal speed--I've got too many to listen to. This one, well...it's good to take your own sweet time, just like Merle and Harley do.

"Shell Game" Is Coming...You Like Playing Games, Don't Ya?

Back in the 1990s I was an extra a couple of times for a few projects being filmed in Salt Lake. I couldn't devote a lot of time to it because I had a full-time job to consider and a new family to support. 

In the 2000s, I wrote a screenplay that was turned into a short film. I wrote a few other stories but never pursued getting them made.

This decade I was in a local commercial and last Friday, a friend asked for help on a little project they were filming. Since I had the day off, I thought I'd ask if he needed me. Turns out, he did. Turns out, we filmed a very short scene called, Shell Game.

I wasn't sure what the story was about, other than it was a mobster story. I dressed in a nice suit. I had no idea what character I'd be playing. I was cast as a bad mobster (as apposed to a good mobster...). When I got the message they'd like to use me, I didn't know what my lines would be or how many I'd have. That's because the script wasn't written until a few hours before we began filming.

It turns out, we had a blast doing it.

I knew Nathan, the director/writer/other bad mobster. I did not know Chelsea, Hawk, or Geoffrey. Having not worked on a lot of films, I found myself over-emoting. On the stage, your motions/your facial expressions need to be big so even the back row can see. It took a few takes for me to incorporate the director's/cameraman's direction of, "be subtle." I hope I did a good job.

We ended the evening gathered at a local eatery, Granny Annie's--everyone, that is, except Chelsea who had to leave early. The shoot was quick, efficient, and we were paid in food. What a great way to spend a Friday afternoon.

Once again, I don't know how much time I can dedicate to this type of project. I don't have a lot of experience in the industry--everyone involved in Shell Game has been involved in many more projects. They each have more IMDb credits to their name than me (which is not difficult as I have only one IMDb credit...), and Chelsea blows us all out of the water. I would like to do more of this--of course, I don't know if I'm any good so it remains to be seen if I would be hired for any projects. Still, it's immensely satisfying work, and who knows--some day I might be doing more and more of this type of thing. Time will tell.

Enter The Fringe...A VERY Cool Short Film

When you know a lot of creative people, you may run into a problem. There's just not enough time to watch, to read, to listen to all the amazing things they create. I've got a stack of novels to read and that's just from the authors I know personally.

Even though writing a book is not easy and it takes time, a person can think of the story, plot it out, write it, and publish it themselves. I suppose someone can do the same with a film, but if they want more than two people in the movie, they'll need help.

A friend of mine, Nathan Riddle wrote a story called Enter the Fringe, and it's been made it into a short film. Today I finally watched it (it's on Amazon Prime...) and it was great--so many good things in their short ten minute production. Plus, the driver of the very cool Mustang is Jared Morgan, an actor with which I've been fortunate enough to share the stage--good guy.

The gritty feel of the dystopian world comes through in the arid cinematography. The lighting in the seedy backroom office creates the proper tone, and the scene where the haggard man takes matters literally into his own hands was as gruesome as it was wonderfully crafted. It gave the creeps.

Yes--there's lot crammed into the film, even the special effects, though used sparingly, were beautiful and convincing.

Though it's been over ten years, I worked on a short film, a story I helped write. I was there for the filming and saw how much hard work it takes to get even a few seconds of action. The trick is to not let the audience see any of that--they only need to see and experience the story, what happens. Enter the Fringe gives us a glimpse of a terrifying world, a world I wouldn't want to live in, but a world I'd love to see more of. Hopefully, one day, we all will.