Back to the future...

I can see that I haven't posted very much on this account lately. Too much work! The new deal now is: "Oz: The Great and Powerful." Thirty-two days on set since October 1!

"Oz: The Great and Powerful"

Alas, I can't say much (if anything), about it, and it doesn't make its premiere until March 8, 2013. That's more than one year from now! I think I can say that I'm a member of a select group of background actors who have their own make-up artists, and these make-up artists are the very best in the world.

My own artist is Howard Berger, who won an Academy Award for "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)." When he's super busy, I've been with Bob Kurtzman, Craig Reardon, Mike Mills, Ozzy Alvarez, David Dupuis, Toni G, Jonathan Shrover, Mark Landon and Greg Funk. They're all the best of the best!

The cast is terrific. Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis, James Franco--and more. And there will be Munchkins!

Wish I could post a pic of my character, but I don't even have one. This is one tight set. You will love it, though.

The set is in Michigan, north of Detroit. Can't wait to get back!

School and Fun

My own life is a bit dull. The acting gigs are great, but i'm still usually just background. "Real" actors and crew sometimes think of us as set furniture. So every once and again, I'll copy pages from the blogs of my wife and children. My wife, Joanne, is in Kenya now. She's an AAC whiz (augmentative speech for those who lack vocal capacity--and even some who cannot do signing). She is in Kenya to share her knowledge. Here is a recent post:

Tuesday was Sapling Trust day. One of the Sapling Trust teachers had asked me to come and observe her class of three young children with autism. I spent quite a bit of time with her, gave her a few basic suggestions for encouraging communication, but concluded that what would be the most beneficial would be to have an assistant to help manage the wide variety of behaviors.

I then spent nearly an hour with a deaf 21-year-old artist/computer geek who was having a bit of a problem finding the drawing program that wold allow him to open a file he had created. I offered a few suggestions and from then on he was always 3-4 steps ahead of me. Using his flash drive, he was able to transfer the program to the appropriate user area, complete the required registration, re-install it, and open his file to show me a his rendering of an apartment complex. He also enjoys drawing cars and copying and designing commercial logos.

In Eunice's class, the morning's focus was on singing about action words - washing and wiping in particular. Each child got a chance to "wash" a towel in a basin of soapy water. The lesson became even more functional after a large amount of water was spilled on the floor, and we began singing about the teacher washing and wiping the floor.

I walked a couple of long blocks to a busier intersection where I could hail a tuk-tuk to take me to the Nakumatt Nyali , where I exchanged about $40 in Tanzanian currency into Kenyan shillings and met Stephanie. We walked to her house, had a lunch of rice and curry, and caught a matatu to Haller Park.

Haller Park is a green urban sanctuary. There are trails, snake exhibits, a 3:00 PM giraffe feeding one can participate in, crocodile and hippo feedings to watch (check out the monkeys sneaking in for their share) and a huge whale made entirely from discarded flip-flops.

Back at the house, Stephanie's mother shared home remedies that have been passed down in her family - I'm looking forward to trying the the one for sleep.

Another calming walk on the beach. The views were even more breathtaking today. We were able to walk way out because of the neap tide. Neap tides are particularly weak tides that occur twice a month - during the first and 3rd quarter moons - when the sun and moon are at right angles to each other. The sun cancels out much of the moon's gravitational pull, resulting in smaller differences between high and low tides (Thank you wiki answers!).

Looking back toward land

Jack, the neighbor's dog, accompanied us on all
our beach ramblings.

Back at the house, we washed the sand off our feet and left our flip-flops outside to dry.

Big Mistake.

When Stephanie's parents were ready to leave for town, only one flip-flop could be found. The usual canine suspects were rounded up and the sand pits were surveyed, but no flip-flop could be found.

I did several small buckets full of laundry at the Poly. Everything dried quickly with the help of the powerful ceiling fan, except for the final load of three items (2 needed the next day), which I had pinned up just before storm - and power outage - hit at 2:15 AM. 

Have I mentioned that Mombasa is hot? The kind of hot where sweat pours down your face after just a minute or two outside? The kind of hot where being inside without a fan almost constitutes abuse? Luckily the rain brought an immediate drop in temperature, so the absence of the fan was tolerable.

You can read more here: AAC in East Africa

Plague: Last Episode for the Season

Yesterday was filming for the final episode of the season of Plague: The Diary of Ben McReady. The location was Aviation High School, near Burke Lakefront Airport. The high school is abandoned now, but provided a good set.

We arrived just after 8:00 AM. I signed Joanne and me up for make-up, but I was kicked off before completing my first zombie. I had applied the make-up far too thickly. But Joanne did a superlative job, and it was good she was there: with far more zombies than my last shoot, Joanne, Gwen and Chialla Geib was the entire make-up department, joined by others temporarily during the day.

I was one of their first victims. Gwen put the prosthetics on first. She found a recipe online for pouring liquid latex on a cookie sheet, then pressing in small pieces of tissue paper or cotton balls. After it dries, it can be painted with regular latex paint. These she applied directly, not prepping the skin first with clown white cream, as she had done for episode seven. The clown white was added later, and this was Joanne's station. Joanne also did shading on the eyes and a little spiderwork on the face. Chialla did this as well, although for me she applied liquid blood, pouring into my hands an supervising the application on my head, face and shirt. The result was pretty convincing.

I basically hung out most of rest of the morning, then participated in another student film being made at the same time. Then I noticed a crowd gathered around an interior door, intently watching some activity within. I went over. It was a choreographer teaching about 16 students the steps for Michael Jackson's Thriller. I tried to mimic the movements, little knowing that I would be enlisted later.

Finally, we were called for the major scene of the day. Our cars had been randomly placed in the parking lot when we arrived. For this scene, the zombies were randomly placed around the cars. On "action" we were to mill about, until a family tried to run through us to safety. As they ran through, we grabbed at them, taking two or three down. Then we feasted, as only zombies can feast.

After major filming, Wendall called for volunteers, or at least, that's what I thought he was calling. He then lined us up. I was soon to learn that I, too, would be dancing to Thriller. A couple of times I tried to escape, but Ern kept reassuring me that it would be fine. Fortunately, I was in the back. I hope I didn't mess things up too much. Otherwise it should be very good.

It was a very good day.

Shaved!

Sometimes personal life trumps professional obligations. I grew my beard for Not in Ohio, sent my photos to Real Steel with the beard, and auditioned for Lilith with it. But I've gotten no feed back from Lilith (too soon, really), Real Steel doesn't need it, and Not in Ohio is just a bit shaky now.

On the other hand, I have two legal appointments at big time Akron law firms, and a trip to Probate Court as an Estate Executor, and my beard is just frankly strange.

It's off (I can always grow it back in a month).

Plague: The Diary of Ben McReady

I was a tree zombie for the Tri-C project: Plague: The Diary of Ben McReady (Season 1, Episode 7). This is one of those roles as an extra that you don't want to pass up -- one of those roles as an extra which is the exception to the rule. Simple: the instructor for the class making the film is Wendell Hinkle. As good as it gets in Cleveland.

It gets better: when I landed on site, I got the role of the tree zombie--the featured zombie in Episode 7. It's ugly! It's truly, truly ugly!! I can't even recall thrusting out my tongue. (I think the part just took me over--one of those things that happen with good actors--and thankfully, for me too).

Not in Ohio

The cast for Not in Ohio is being announced as I write. I be a pirate--a right pretty pirate, dontcha know. To check out the rest of the cast, click on the link below:

Cast of: Not in Ohio

It's a mighty handsome group.

Death of the Dead

Trailer No. 1 for Death of the Dead is now online on YouTube, Vimeo Facebook and other locations. Below is the trailer on YouTube:

Death of the Dead

Near nuclear reaction around the globe! Not only has the movie been noted and commented on in the United States, but also in the major zombie press of the world.

And what a reaction! Some of the editors and commentators are eager to see the finished movie, others are skeptical--and some are downright hostile (sometimes the best reaction of all). Whatever the case, none can ignore it. Bring it on!

Below are just a few of the zombie sites that have taken notice. Not included are the tons sites which include Death of the Dead on feeds, or lists of upcoming movies, new releases and trailers. Enjoy:

English:

Row Three

"No Romero isn’t up to his old tricks again . . . yet. And considering the pure awfulness of his last outing, that is a good thing. But along comes a zom-com sort of borrowing from the franchise’s “. . . of the Dead” series . . .

Have a look under the seats for the teaser of Death of the Dead, complete with Ninja Zombies; not from the director who brought us Avatar.

(Romero may be subject to the same brain-eating plague that infected Sam Raimi: the bigger the budget, the crappier the movie! Quentin and Rodriquez are among the few who can pull it off.)

A World on Fire

"Here’s a film that is due out later this year which mixes the heart warming antics of the karate kid with a mass of hungry zombies. Mind you, these aren’t normal zombies. These are ninja zombies. Or so the large spectacled heroin quips as she stares out a blood spattered window.

"This is a film not made by the director of Avatar, reads one of the credits. Another reads that it is an epic film of low budget proportions, clearly embracing the cheese that appears to be dripping out of each of its pores. The movie appears to focus on a nerdy karate student who must fight off some zombies. She finds a magic belt that turns her into “the hotness” whereby she fights the undead in a very high riding miniskirt.

"This could be a cult hit, or completely miss the mark. I have a hard time watching movies that “know” they are funny. I find the best kind of humor occurs when characters don’t realize they are being funny. These characters are so committed to their worldview that humor arises from natural conflict. For example, I didn’t laugh at Shaun of the Dead because Simon Pegg was being silly, but rather, I laughed at how Shaun coped at his nightmarish situation.

"Still, this still could be really funny. Let’s just say, I’m reserving judgment for the final cut. In any case, I’ll drop a word on any future developments."

(Now that's a solid review)

BuyZombie

"If you have been following BuyZombie for awhile you know that I am also a fan of B Movies, independant films, and ninjas – this film should be right up my alley and I cannot wait to let you know. Humor horror flicks are always hit or miss but I think this one has a lot of potential from what you can see here."

(btw, as its name suggests, BuyZombie is the place to get all your zombie needs, including the t-shirt: "zombies only want you for your brain")

The Pulp Movies Trailer Park

"An epic feature full of brains, boobs and bad ass bitches, Death of the Dead is fun for the whole family"

(proving once again the power of taglines)

CliqueClack

". . . you have to get a look at the trailer for Gary King's Death Of The Dead, starring Christina Rose. It’s like I sat on Santa’s lap and told him what movie I wanted for 2010, and here it is."

(doesn't get better than that!)

Horror Movie Girls

Just the trailer and taglines in a very neat box. The site focuses on horror chicks and bad-ass bitches. A good post on Rose McGowan, and how she got into film. Look for a solid review of DOTD when the full theatrical version is released.

The Zed Word

Just a page for the trailer for now, but other good things on this blog. I enjoyed reading the review for Plague of the Zombies. The Zed Word motto: "When there's no more room in hell, the dead shall blog the earth"

Arabic:

KHALeD Alenezi BLOG

قد لا يكون "Zombieland" ولكن "Death-of-the-Dead" ويعد بأن يكون معلما بارزا في نمط Troma والنوع الكسول.

(Comment: "It may not be "Zombieland" but "Death of the Dead" promises to be a milestone in Troma-style zombie movies." OK, I added the comment, but it brings "Death of the Dead" to a significant portion of the international audience--one that can't be ignored.)

French:

Vie de Geek

Alors au début j'ai crû que c'était un faux vrai trailer, mais je crois que finalement c'est une comédie gore parodique produit par Strange Stuff, on verra bien, en tout cas moi je surveille ce truc de près !

("So at first I thought it was a fake trailer, but I think ultimately it is a gore comedy parody produced by Strange Stuff. We'll see in any case. I'll be watching this thing closely!" - Fake trailer? Not on your life!)

German:

Splatter Movies

Jaja...

Kaum ein Tag ohne unsere Untoten Gesellen. Und auch dieser kommt mal wider aus der Indi-, bzw Billigecke.

ABER! Ich glaube dieser dürfte trotzdem einen besonderen Blick wert sein, den es ist diesmal eine Komödie und zwar eine der wunderbar bescheuertesten Sorte. Und zumindest im Trailer, haben sogar ein paar der Gags bei mir gezündet. Außerdem finde ich das Brillen-Chick echt scharf.

("Comedy of a wonderfully silly variety"! "Really hot chick in glasses"! Agree totally!!)

Fleisch Industries

Von Strange Stuff Productions kommt diese actiongeladene Zombiehorror Komödie, die für einen Low-Budget Film recht interessant und sehenswert ausschaut, aber vorallem recht witzig rüberkommt. Inszeniert wurde der Film von Gary King und als Darsteller seien vorerst Christina Rose, Jack Abele, John Riddlebaugh und Rick Montgomery, Jr. erwähnt.

Fleisch Industries? The Germans get into it good! And they seem to have taken fondly to "Death of the Dead" Loosely translated:



"From Strange Stuff Productions comes this action-packed zombie horror comedy, which looks like a quite interesting low-budget film worth seeing, and especially comes across very funny. The film was directed by Gary King, and were initially mentioned as actors are Christina Rose, Jack Abele, John Riddlebaugh and Rick Montgomery, Jr. . ."



Fleisch goes on to give the synopsis of the film. I think they're going to like it! Alert: When you click on the link you'll get to a "moved" page. Just click on the moved "here" link.

Hungarian:

Zombiebuzi

Ez egy nagyon beteg, idióta film lesz, de tényleg!

(Completely idiotic? Hey guys, give us a break! This isn't from the Director who brought us Avatar!)

Japanese:

エキサイト

死者の死. ビデオだけ. 論評無し. 楽しみなさい!

(Okay, no commentary, but they posted the vid and gave it a window. In the vast world of film, eyeballs count!)

Russian:

Фильмы про зомби

Хоррор-комедия Смерть живых мертвецов: море мозгов и обнаженных тел, а также крутые девицы! Не страшно, зато почти Трома-стиль.

("Death of the Dead" has finally reached from Moscow to the steppes. I think they like it!)

Spanish:

Amanecer Zombie

Si no recuerdo mal, los protagonistas de El diario de los muertos grababan un documental titulado "La muerte de la muerte" y quizás bajo esa premisa el titulo de la película que os vengo a hablar hoy se titula"Death of the dead"... quien sabe.

Gary King es el encargado de dar forma a esta película de bajo presupuesto pero que se nota que le han puesto ilusión y amor a una serie de géneros tan dispares como el humor, la acción, la fantasía, la ciencia ficcion y el terror entremezclandolos todos juntos en una hipotética batidora y dándole forma bajo una producción de Strange Stuff productions.

Vamos,que otra cosa quizás no... pero Bo Buckley (el guionista de este film) se ha tenido que fumar una buena cantidad de porros, porque vaya historia.

(Based on a documentary within The Diary of the Dead? Bo Buckley smoking pot in making this film? Enquiring minds want to know--but I guess they'll have to wait until the full feature hits the silver screen!)

Abandomoviez

"Cuando un autobús de la escuela de karate rival atropella por accidente a dos científicos, una extraña sustancia de un bidón se vierte en el sistema de alcantirillado intoxicando la ciudad y a los propios karatekas convirtiéndolos así en una especie de ninjas zombie"

(But Wanda and her teacher save humanity with the help of a magical belt that gives incredible power)

Nido de Cuervos Noticias

This site covered all the basics, but then a comment was added by a very snooty fan:

"Creo que la pregunta es más que obligada . . . POR QUE? Nunca dejaran de castigarnos la retina con bazofias así...en fin, he visto cosas peores y sigo vivo . . ."

(punish the retina? Well, you probably have seen worse, but are you sure you're really still alive)

Almas oscuras

A mí este tipo de películas me atrapan, me cuativan. Y sé perfectamente lo complicado que resulta defender una propuesta como Death of the dead: comedia zombie independiente(con lo saturados que estamos de comedias zombis) . . . Así es, no hay por dónde cogerlo. Zombis karatekas, cinturones mágicos, testículos . . . ¿Mala de narices? Probablemente. ¿Ganas de verla? Pues sí, qué le vamos a hacer.

(This kind of film catches me. And I know exactly how complicated it is to defend a proposal such as death of the dead: independent zombie comedy (so saturated are we with zombie comedy) . . . So . . . zombies karate, magic belts, testicles, bad noses? Probably. Do I have a desire to see it? Yes, what can I do)

To which someone added: "

Pero, pero, pero . . . WTF! Zombies!! Karate a muerte en [un pueblecito cutre de los USA]? . . . Sexy y cutre, la combinación perfecta de la serie Z"

(yes, sexy and tacky--the perfect combination for a low-budget film)

Swedish:

RST Video

Wanda och hennes sensei slåss mot ett gäng helt galna ninja-zombies. Till sin hjälp har Wanda ett magiskt bälte.

("Wanda and her sensai fighting a bunch of completely insane ninja-zombies." In a word, yes!)

So that's it for now. Keep posted here and at: StrangeStuff! And keep in mind, the comments above are just for the trailer--wait 'til they see the full feature film! Hold your hats!