glamberson

The second episode of SLIME CITY SURVIVOR, our behind-the-scenes video blog, is live; be sure to SUBSCRIBE, because I won't be arouund to tell you when each segment goes up. We hope to post a new one every day when production starts this Friday, July 10th!

Episode #1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO7LwCY_KG8

Episode #2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxmxCcQLO14

One of my plans for covering SCM is a daily behind-the-scenes video blog. The first episode is up on You Tube:




Be sure to visit You Tube and SUBSCRIBE to future segments.

Four days left of pre-production and today was insane. My friend G Monde, who used to work with me at Dipson, drove in to have his cannibal costume created. John, my PM, is in charge of those things, and he wasn't prepared material-wise so we got a late start. But he and ANdrew knocked out four of those things today, bringing the total to eight. John is a character: loud, ADD-suffering, and extremely foul mouthed. I often say, "I wish you weren't so damned funny, because I really want to be annoyed at you." A lot of people thought I was crazy making him PM, but he is hitting that assignment OUT OF THE PARK (in addition to creating the "Mason" appliance and playing The Mayor of Slime City). You honestly never know who is going to rise to the occasion and who isn't. Overall, everyone is working very hard and I'm only puzzled by one or two people. This is a great crew.

John is supposed to tell everyone playing a cannibal that they need to bring clothes that the outfits can be built over. He forgot to tell G, so I did, but apparently I wasn't clear enough because G didn't realize that he needed to bring a second change of clothes so he could leave his first set INSIDE the outfit. He's a tall guy, over six feet... and he left wearing sneakers, boxer shorts, and a garbage bag.

I did a ton of running around: bought air mattresses, pillows, sheets, towels, wash cloths, and a fan for Actor House, then visited the main location with my storyboard artist and a PA, then went back to Andrew Lavin's lab, where he and John continued to make cannibals. I had to come home and help Tamar clean, and have again postponed making my schedule. Some very good news, though: Mary Huner is definitely coming to Buffalo to shoot her scenses as "Swan," a tough extension of her "good girl" from the first film. Her involvement was in doubt due to an illness - and death - in her family.

Tomorro, fingers crossed, Kaelin will attend daycare. I need to meet with the film commissioner, make that schedule, go wig shopping with Jennifer (trying to duplicate THE wig), and have a big production meeting.

Thanks to LJ, I've got 2 extras coming to die in the massacre in Slime City:
wendiigo and his wife. Thanks to MySpace, I've met numerous participants in the film, like Rod Durick, head of my SFX unit, and Kineticlik, the leader of the Slime City, Connecticut rap movement. From Facebook, I've wasted a lot of time... so don't dump on LJ or MySpace, but that FB monstrosity has gotta go!

Today was relaxing enough. I told everyone in the cast and crew that I wouldn't bother them on the holiday, but gratefully made myself available to those who still had questions for me. Friday night was not good - after succeeding in getting the pediatrician to fill out Kaelin's paperwork so she can start daycare Monday, she developed a runny nose... meaning she may not be able to attend daycare Monday! Just how many days might I have her with me during this critical final week off prep?

Anyway, my brother-in-law David came over today because we're cleaning the house for all of our pending guests (Wil Keiper from Horror Yearbook will be with us the entire shoot; RJ will be here for 2 weeks; Robert, Sephera, Nelson and maybe Craig will be here 3 days... So we need to CLEAN! Our vacuum died a month ago. David brought his over and used it. Hopefully mine will be ready on Monday; my extended warrantee covers the whole deal.

I got caught up on a shit load of e-mail. I pre-posted 2/3 of Fear Zone's July content, including 2 behind-the-scenes pieces I wrote myself. I looked for extras. And I gave the script a final pass, adding and changing dialogue and adding and changing scenes. I'm very pleased with it, especially the manner in which minor characters have become more substantial.

Tomorrow, we have a cannibal-costume session, and then Andrew needs to see our "special" bathtub, and I HAVE GOT TO MAKE THAT SCHEDULE...

Sarah Palin: whiner; amateur; quitter; loser. I had no idea she was so weak. Can't even finish ONE TERM? She will be remembered as one of the biggest jokes in political history, entirely for her own childish behavior. Of course, this is all John Mcain's fault - he could have left her and Alaska alone, but he had to go and shine a spotlight on both of them, turning her into a complete freak. I can't wait for HBO to make a movie about her exploits. As for her supporters... fooled again.

I have been so busy psoting pics and stories about my am,azing SFX and production team that I've been rather quiet about what's in store for SLIME CITY MASSACRE on the music front (which technically falls under post production anyway).

The opening credits theme song will be written and sung by Giasone Italiano (with Brett Savory on drums... anot her publishing connection). You didn't think GRUESOME would be the end of the road for us, did you?

The score will be composed by none other than Mars, who totally understands the 80s vibe I'm going for and brings a lush, orchestral sound to his synth. Mars writes music and DVD reviews for me on Fear Zone, and we've discussed working together for along time. The time is now!

There will be a rap song in the middle of the film, created by the "Slime City" movement in connecticut: yes, there is a subculture of rappers un Connecticut who reference my film in their work, and I couldn't let somnething like that pass unanswered...

Finally, the end credits song will be performed by Crankdaddy, a punk band operating out of Syracuse. The front man, Tom Merrick, played "Jerry," the best friend in the original SLIME CITY and plays a mercenary in SCM.

And Rob Tomarro, who composed the original SC score, has a role in this film involving some EXTREME stunt work!

Hi, everyone:

Some of you have contacted me about being an extra in SLIME CITY MASSACRE, and some of you I'm just reaching out to. I need a lot of extras because this thing is H-U-G-E for a micro-budget flick.

The setting is post-apocalypse NYC... filmed in Buffalo, at the abandoned postal facility adjacent to the equally abandoned Central Terminal Station: 59 Memorial Drive, Buffalo, NY 14206.

I'm looking for extras on the following days. In most cases, people can reappear on other days. Our days are generally 8 am - 8 pm. If any out of towners would like a place to plant a sleeping bag the night before, so you can make call time, just let me know.

Sunday, July 12th - homeless people on platform: 9 am - 12 pm.

Tuesday, July 14th - "Den of Cin" - a sort of flea market for drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes. homeless people as well as "uptown customers" - this is one of two days where I really need a lot of people. 8 am - 12 pm.

Saturday, July 18th - "Mercenary Weekend," when the titular massacre occurs. 8 am - 2 pm... hopefully. I wuld love to have 50 people for this...

Sunday, July 19th - A continuation of Sat, not as many people needed.

Saturday, August 1st - more homeless people on platform; some will become "Slime Heads" - Roy Frumkes's scenes.

##

I've copied my assistant director, Michael O'Hear, who's in charge of wrangling extras. If interested, please contact him with your availability and contact info.

Clothing: worn, dirty, no copyrighted logos or images.

Best,
Greg

Because Tamar may get out of work early tomorrow, today may be my last regular day with Kaelin for a while. I took her to music class for the first time since the Stokers. I told her about 20 times, "no running." Of course she ran through the church and into the community room and fell on her elbows and knees, making me look negligent. Then she squirmed and whined until class started. During "bubbles" - use your imagination - I told her not to run. Of course she ran. When the song was over, she sat down 10 feet away from me. When I got up o get her she ran again. This time she fell backwards and hit her head on the floor. It's the first time I ever pulled her out of class. Some parents believe you should never spank your child. I'm not one of those parents, and today I wasn't one of them twice, and when we got home I sent her to bed. I woke her up to take her to the pediatricians, where she was as hyper as a tasmanian devil on crack. I really thought the doctor was going to say, "This kid needs ridlen, stat!" There was some misbehavior there too, principally because she wanted to stay and play with the other kids. As the doctor said, "She's ready for school." So I'm looking forward to Monday, when she'll spend 9 hours in daycare, and have my fingers, toes, eyes and teeth crossed that everything will be fine. I'm sure it will take a week for her to settle in, but we're BOTH ready for a change. I hope I'm able to find a job right away after the film, because I want her to keep progressing.

After meeting with Angelina Leigh, who will suffer a very memorable death in SCM, and then Rod Durick, my SFX supervisor, I went over to the effects lab, where the guys finished a cannibal costume and cast Jay Mager's face. It's a lot of fun hanging around the shop. I stayed later than I should have, and didn't get home until after 10. And now, as I finish my paperwork, it's 3:35 AM, and I ge

--or half full?



Gag rig by Craig Lindberg, using Eric Mache's face cast.



Tamar doesn't think I should be revealing this much, but this is basically a throwaway gag, and I want to detail as much of SCM as possible, while I still can.



I did so much today - and still have so much to do tonight - that I'm too tired to jot it down.

Not only did the pediatricians' office become much more reasonable regarding my situation, but they realized Kaelin needs a "well visit" before they can fill out that form and agreed to see her tomorrow. Daycare is saved. Thank God; besides my own needs, Kaelin has been saying "I want to go to school!" ever since we started taking tours.

Kaelin's dental appointment went very well - they fawned all over her, she behaved, and they said her teeth are "perfect." I had an appointment yesterday, too - my first cleaning in 6.5 years, thanks to us nit having any dental coverage during that time. I reckon another year and a half of neglect and I'd have some holes in my mouth...

Filled out my certificates of insurance; now I need my permits. Nap time in 90 minutes - a LOT of work to do.

It's July 1, which means I'm directing a movie in 9 days. Saturday is a holiday, so that really gives me and my expanding team 8 days (though I'll be writing some additional scenes then). This is when everything gets really, really crazy. We'll solve some problems. Others will work themselves out. Still others will be overlooked. It happens.

The SFX guys are all working hard and getting organized; the PM is probably working harder than he has in a decade; I've delegated a big scene to my 2 ADs; we finally have some PAs; our trick bathtub is ready; the actors are asking the right questions; our costume designer is taking business; everything seems to be coming together.

I still need to find time to make up my shooting schedule and fill out my certificates of insurance. Taking care of Kaelin in the day, having meetings in the evening and at night, this has been pretty difficult to do.

This situation with our pediatrician holding up Kaelin's enrollment in daycare is more than a little frustrating.

And here's a bit of news that made me giggle. When is the best location for a post apocalyptic setting in an entire city NOT the best location for a post apocalyptic setting? Our main building is adjacent to the Central Terminal Station. The CTS is celebrating an anniversary. Think trees. Think gardens. Think flowers.

Think CGI...

Benjamin Kane Ethridge has posted the first PERSONAL DEMONS review in a long time, and you can read it right here:

http://benjikane.livejournal.com/1593.html

"Personal Demons Rules!" is certainly better than "Personal Demons Sucks!"

The mass market edition of PD will be available October 1st.

...in the ointment.

Isn't there always a fly in the ointment?

We chose our daycare center. We filled out our application. We want Kaelin to start daycare on Monday, July 6th, which will give me 4 days of full time prep for everything I need to take care of, like picking up vans, a generator, etc. (all production stuff - I haven't even had time to THINK about directing). Enter our pediatrician, aka Jeff Goldblum. Said pediatrician needs to flll out a one-page, 2-sided form. Easy, right? Sure, they can do that - in 7 - 10 business days...

After a visit to speak to the officer manager, in which I explained that I'm making a $35,000 film involving a lot of out of town personnel, all I got was a lecture from Nurse Ratchet about their "policy." So it looks like Kaelin will be with me during my final pre-production week... at least.

Whether I work this out or not, it's time for a new pediatrician.

For the original SLIME CITY, I storyboarded the entire film. After 1 day of filming, I threw those storyboards out. Too many angles for our schedule and no room for improvisation.



For UNDYING LOVE I just used shot lists, like Frank Henenlotter; for NAKED FEAR I scribbled notes and thumbnail sketches in the borders of my script pages.



SCM has a lot of action scenes and a lot of special effects involving 4 Slime Heads, 3 brains, 8 cannibals, and 5 mercenaries, so I decided storyboards would be a good idea this time.



Unfortunately, taking care of Kaelin, I just don't have time to do them myself. Enter Shannon Wheeler, an art student I met through John Renna, my production manager. Shannon embraced the task, and I selected 3 big scenes involving a lot of camera angles and coverage.



In this scene - presented totally jumbled and out of sequence - two "obnoxious fraternity brother jock pricks" from uptown NYC drive down to Slime City, the ruins of midtown Manhattan (lower Manhattan is gone after a bomb explosion). There they solicit a bum for sex, only to videotape themselves beating him up. 2 Slime Heads show up and things get messy... real messy.



The scene serves multiple purposes: first, it combines a couple of murders from the first film into a single scene, giving them different "punch" lines; second, it shows 2 Slime heads in action for the first time, working as a team; and third, while both characters are wrapped in bandages, the scene ends with the arrival of a THIRD Slime Head, sans bandages, giving the audience their first look at one of the creatures. So there's a lot going on here.



These storyboards are still just a spring board, like the script itself. On set, Cris Santucci, my DP, and I will depart from them as much as we'll follow them, taking full advantage of the environment around us.

Like everyone else on this shoot, Shannon is being helpful in all sorts of ways not directly related to his title; he's helped Emil Novak and John Renna move debris on our location - arranging the ruins - and has arranged for a restaurant where he works to donate dinners for our out of town actors. He's a real asset, and I can't wait to see his boards for the ending.

POP Cinema has posted an indepth interview with me on their Alternative Cinema website--

http://www.alternativecinema.com/index.php?pg=slimeint

--as well as an article on my films:

http://www.alternativecinema.com/index.php?pg=slimecity

I know we're close to filming without digging through the rubble in my house to find a calendar because there is so much to do and no time.

Today was my meeting with the NYS Gov's Office of Film & TV Development, re: my application for the tax incentive. It went well, but I have to revise and re-submit my application,a nd include a shooting schedule... a shooting schedule that I'm already 2 weeks behind on. When can I take care of this? Beats me. Not tonight, that's for sure!

Tamar and I took Kaelin to another daycare center. Not as new and neat - oh, so Cheektowaga - but slightly cheaper, much closer to home, and with greater opportunities for fun and learning, we think. So this is the one.

The Production Manager John, SFX Supervisor Rod, Property Master Nick, and Slime Specialist Arick came over with 2 old iron cast bathtubs, and Metal Worker Phil. One of the tubs will remain intact; the better to hold slime. Phil cut the other one to bits to accomodate Debbie Rochon's melted form. It was all very noisy and dramatic and exciting, and John had to run out for more blades for Phil.

Meanwhile, ROd and Nick went to my brother-in-laws to remove a sofa bed from the basement. I've been on a lot of moves, but this one was the worst, the most hernia inducing, the absolutely most impossible task... until we removed the removable arms. The SS R.J. Sevin has arrived, as has a bureau and mirror for Debbie. Picture a posse of big, foul mouthed guys busting their asses. Kaelin had a blast.

And now I'm too tired for that schedule and application...

SCM has received front page treatment on The Observer, Dunkirk-Fredonia's daily newspaper.

http://www.observertoday.com/page/content.detail/id/525783.html?nav=5047

I lived in both the City of Dunkirk and the Village of Fredonia, which became the Village of Fredonia in JOHNNY GRUESOME.