Airport Security Opens Tonight!

A few months ago I had the pleasure of participating in a film shoot for Airport Security with Gruppo Rubato. Now, the videos were in anticipation of the play which opens tonight. They consisted of scenes that were cut from the play but still were worthy of being seen (and used as one of the best marketing tools I've seen for the theatre in a long time).

I've included the video with myself in it at the end of this post.

In the meantime, be sure not to miss the play!

************* Airport Security, the newest play from Ottawa’s Gruppo Rubato opens tonight at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre Studio Theatre. Can’t wait that long? Visit our website, www.rubato.ca, to catch our 4-part short film, Airport Security, before we open!

Following the stories of five passengers as they navigate their way through a busy airport, Airport Security poses the question: does increased airport security make us safer, or just make us feel safer? Playing on our insecurities and overconfidence in a system destined to both convolute and demystify air travel, from shuttles to baggage carousels, departures to arrivals, Airport Security scans Canada’s growing obsession with “security”.

Written and directed by Patrick Gauthier (Winner of the 2010 Council for the Arts in Ottawa’s RBC Emerging Artist Award; Rideau Award – Emerging Artist nominee; and director of the multiple award-winning production Countries Shaped Like Stars), the cast features Ottawa actors Simon Bradshaw, Kris Joseph, Catriona Leger, Tania Levy, and Kate Smith.

Set design is by John Doucet; Costume and Prop Design by Sarah Waghorn; Lighting Design by Pierre Ducharme; Sound Design by Kris Joseph; and Original Music by Ann Walton. Production dramaturgy is by Emily Pearlman.

Tickets are $25 ($20 for students), with a $15 preview performance on Thursday, June 3, and a Pay-What-You-Can matinee on Sunday, June 6 at 2:30 pm.

Tickets: $25 ($20 students) Box Office: 613.236.5196

Friday, June 4 7:30 pm (Opening Night!)

Saturday, June 5 7:30 pm (Social Media Night: Facebook Friends and Twitter Followers get in for $15 – at the door only)

Sunday, June 6 2:30 pm (Pay-What-You-Can Performance)

Tuesday, June 8 7:30 pm

Wednesday, June 9 7:30 pm (Talkback Performance)

Thursday, June 10 7:30 pm

Friday, June 11 7:30 pm

Saturday, June 12 7:30 pm

Airport Security, Ep 1: Passenger Protect from Kris Joseph on Vimeo.

So You Want To Be An Indie Film Star

The call came in. Your audition was spectacular (or your friends just think you're awesome) and you've booked the gig. Ladies and gentlemen, you are going on set! But it's not just any film set! This? Is an independent movie!

Alright, so what can you expect when you are going to be working on an independent film? Well, there are no big budgets and you probably won't be meeting any celebrities once you get there. The crew will probably be small (maybe two guys with a camera and a boom mic?) and chances are the director is also the writer, the producer, the DOP, the camera operator, the wardrobe mistress, the craft services, and the person who drove you there (if you were even lucky enough to get a ride). Also, once your agent and the union get their pieces of the pie, fingers cross you might even have enough left for half your groceries this week. But we're not doing this for the money right? Right.

In all seriousness though, I'm at a point in my career where all I want is to work and this was a union shoot that gets me just one step closer to being a full member of ACTRA. Plus, it was for my friends.

Anyway, here are a few tips to help you make it through your independent film experience with your professionalism reinforced to such a degree that they will be begging to have you back for their next project. Remember, today's low-budget indie-film producer could be tomorrow's James Cameron... or maybe divorced to James Cameron.

Now, chances are your "wardrobe fitting" consisted of one phone call and maybe a request to "bring some pants". Do not be fooled by any kind of laissez-faire (that's French) attitude towards your outfit! Many years of on set experience has thought me that Murphy's Law is always in full effect. Only brought the clothes on your back? They will take one look at you and hate it. Brought a suitcase full of stuff? They will love what you have on.

That said, it is much better to ere on the side of caution. I have a small suitcase which I always fill with everything I need. That includes: 3 or 4 changes of clothing (depending on the part you will be playing, try and vary the styles and colours), a lint brush & Tide To Go pen, my own makeup & hair supplies (just in case there are no hair and makeup people present), a snack & a water bottle (in case they can't afford craft services), a book (being on set consists of a lot of "hurry up and wait") and, of course, the most important item: a positive attitude!

(Actually, I take that back. The most important thing, as your mother will tell you, is clean underwear. You have no idea where or in front of whom you might be changing your clothes. In the past, I've had to change behind dumpsters, in the back seat of a car, and in the middle of a crowded park. Trust me, you want to be wearing clean underwear - why I am assuming most of you don't wear clean underwear, I don't know - because you never know who might see it. Also, as you can see, the life of an actor is very glamorous.)

Corny, I know, but you'd be surprised how far a good attitude can take you. It's quite likely the people you are working for might be inexperienced, working on very little sleep and a bit stressed (Who am I kidding - a lot stressed), so you need to try and make things as easy as possible for them. That starts by not throwing any diva fits. You're also probably in for a long day so be patient with everyone.

The other thing you need to be prepared to do is repetition. And I'm not just talking lines here. I mean repeat every gesture you have just made at the same time every time. You see, the director/producer/camera guy might not know it now because he has got other things on his mind, but continuity is going to be incredibly important once he start editing. If you manage to repeat everything exactly the same way, you will give him a variety of shot options and make his life 20 times easier once he tries to put everything together. I once had a director/editor email me three months after a shoot to tell me how much he appreciates that I did all that repetition.

So be prepared, be professional, and be ready to have fun!

Now please excuse me as I geek out on pictures of myself in costume, on set for Gruppo Rubato's upcoming Airport Security. I had a blast and I can't wait for it to come out!

For a more behind the scenes look at that particular project, check out Kris Joseph's blog series here.

What A Week!

Things were off to a great start last Sunday with the closing performance of BASH'd: A Gay Rap Opera at the GCTC followed by a theatre audition for a company in town. Then I spent some time with a friend and watched Heath Ledger's last performance in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnasus, an odd little film in which I learned it's best not to make a deal with Tom Waits. I had taken the time on the prior Saturday to come in and complete the finishing touches on a big project I was involved with at the GCTC. Oddly enough, my boss also decided to come in that day. There really is nothing better than choosing to work overtime and having your boss catch you at it. It's just like How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, only I was really trying. I was then able to take Monday off without much fuss.

It only got better after that. I received a call from a friend. Apparently their non-union film project got approved for union status and would I happen to be available on Thursday for a shoot? (More on this in my next blog post.)

Needless to say, I was super excited to be on set again and even more so when I contacted my union's branch office and found out that I would be getting another apprentice credit for my work. When you start out with ACTRA (The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists), you typically begin as an Apprentice Member and you need to collect 6 credits before you can become a Full Member. More details on being an Apprentice can be found here. In the past, only one low budget film could be used towards your six credits. The reasoning being, I guess, that anyone could go out and make their own low budget films and get all their credits. However times change and so do some rules and regulations. I am now only one credit away from Full Member status (and some kind of minimal health insurance coverage!)

Oh and my agent also contacted me to let me know that I would be auditioning for a feature film on the Friday. so who knows, maybe I'm not that far away from Full Member status after all...

Somehow, I managed to do all this while juggling 40 hours of work and the big audience development project we had going on over the weekend. Oh and Thursday was also payday! Gosh, I wish all my weeks could be like that, but right now I am just grateful that everything just came together so well.

Screw You Guys, I'm Going To China!

(ed. note - I hope no one thinks I'm being mean with this title, I'm just bastardizing a South Park quote because I think it's funny. It's funny, right? Right. Keep reading.) Va... ca... tion...?

What is this foreign work you speak of?

The last time I had a vacation, I was 16 years old and I went to Florida with my family (FYI Universal Studio kicked more ass than Disney, even though the Terminator ride broke down). Of course, you could claim that I went on a family vacation two years ago when my mom, my sister and I drove through the Rockies and ended up in lovely Nelson, BC, but that was more of a workaholic's vacation. I had my laptop with me and I distinctly remember spending an awful lot of time writing press releases for the Ottawa Fringe Festival and reworking drafts of a script. I also remember my mother often gently trying to persuade me (i.e. getting annoyed but trying not to show it in front of company) to get off the damn computer and come spend quality time outside, which I did... I sat on a deck with the Rocky Mountains rising above me and a lake spread out below me... and my laptop hugging my knees.

I'm sick. There is something definitely wrong with me. I'm addicted to work. Everything is work or becomes about work. Going to see a show is about work. Taking a new class to gain a new skill becomes "something I can put on a resume". About 95% of my friends are also my colleagues. I run Evolution Theatre with two such friends. We often say that we're just going to hang out, have lunch, watch a movie, or maybe plan a wedding... the discussion inevitably comes back to work.

Don't get me wrong. I love the work I do. I am blessed and grateful to be able to do what I do. But (and I can't believe I'm saying this) maybe I work too much? Is there such a thing? Yes, I guess there is.

I'm going on a trip tomorrow and, with lots of publicity work for Evolution Theatre's next show ahead of me, I started feeling massively guilty for doing anything that was for myself. Going to class or rehearsal, even eating and bathing were practically taking a back seat to what I so desperately thought "needed to be done". Like I said, I'm sick.

You know what, it did need to get done and, better yet, it did get done, but at what cost? My health? My sanity? My peace of mind? I learned a valuable lesson this week. I'm absolutely useless to anyone if I don't take care of myself first. I especially thank the folks in my Playback Theatre company for putting me back on the right track. Once I finally gave in to being at rehearsal, which was where I really wanted to be, and let go of the guilt, I suddenly got better. I was refreshed and recharged and that's why all my work got done this week.

So when my old roomate (and one of the 5% of my friends not involved in the arts - though Gruppo Rubato is trying to change that with Airport Security - check out a staged reading of it this weekend!), who is also a flight attendant, invited me to go with her to China of all places, I jumped at the chance. Yes, I really am going to China. Tomorrow. I leave tomorrow.

And I'm going to do something crazy... something drastic... something so beyond me...

I'm going to disconnect from the Matrix.

Yes, you read that right. No laptop, no iPhone, no Twitter, no Facebook, no email, no *gasp* flat iron. I'm leaving it all behind. It will just be me, my friend, and my poofy hair. As of tomorrow morning, I will be unreachable and not working... Ok, I'm going to cheat a wee bit because I'm going to be reading a book about Roller Derby but it's a NOVEL, so that's alright.

(And uh, BTW, if I'm not back in two weeks, could someone please call the Embassy in Beijing and make sure I'm not rotting in a Chinese prison somewhere... kthxbye!)

My guess is I'll be going into massive electronic withdrawal at some point over the Pacific Ocean. As long as I don't end up re-enacting the toilet scene from Trainspotting though, I should be ok.

So please go ahead and miss me. I know you will. But I'll be back refreshed, recharged and with plenty of photos to share on all sorts of new media outlets. And that? Is really, really nice.