This may be an odd post. Feeling a bit funny at the moment and have just taken some pill…Hypnovel… which are to put me in state of, well, I’m not really sure what. Its supposed to be all a drunklike state or something. Right now I think I”m getting a little light headed and not quite focusing right, but then again I’m blogging right now. If it were me battling off five ninjas while still eating a taco, perhaps we’d get a better sense of whether or not these pills will work and whether or not I’m better off beating them with one hand tied behind my back, or two hands and a leg. Either would give a much better acurrate result.

Gotta go in half an hour. I think they might be working. Can’t drive aparently. Good advice too. but for now, we’ll just wait on the next post. Far more sober…. hopefully.

Been rocking the boring job recently. Video store work is such a drag but at least you get free movies and shit thats not out yet to preview. Problem is it’s the fucking school holidays at the moment and if there’s one thing you can garuantee, it’ll be the fact that the big rock has been moved and all the mongoloids come crawling out of the dark to feed and prey on humanity. And witnessing this stuff, your faith in our survival as an intelligent species goes right down the drain.

I’m not one to use this blog to vent personal world view frustrations on others, or let people know how miserable and dark my thinking of shit can be. I editorialise the hell out of myself to make sure this blog isn’t like that. But god damnit, aside from issues of global warming, world peace, creating a world class ninja college in my name, people got to get out more and do something like read a book. The idiots are winning.

That said, its been a bit of a fucked up day for me. The weather recently has been really bad with ridiculous amounts of rain going on. That, last night, combined with forgetting to take my nicotine patch off before going to bed, had me constantly waking up all night from a really bad nightmare. I’ve had nightmares where I’ve woken up screaming or short of breath and covered in sweat, but last night’s constant strings of nightmares were like this subtle blend of creeping doom and horror. Eventually I smartened onto my forgetting of the patch and took it off, but the nightmares kept happening, till eventually I woke up and its bright morning and I had a half minute debate with myself to get up or go back to sleep. Well, that’s not different to any other day, but this time, I was in a state of constantly positive thinking to go “hey, I’m gonna go to sleep and for sure, this next and final dream is gonna be a good one”. Constantly thinking this in my head like a mantra, I fall asleep again and it was actually a good dream. Don’t remember the details. Most of the time I’m pretty damn vague with remembering dreams, but I do remember feeling very safe and pleased that this time the dream was going well. Right up to the point where, like a weak plot twist, my dream does a backflip on me, throws me a disaster and reveals some weak fact that just totally turns to horror everything else I thought was good and decent about the dream. And I actually spent the rest of the dream trying to piece it all back together and make it all decent again, and failing miserably and exponentially, until eventually I woke up just pissed it happened again and worse off for the fact I suddenly forgot all the details. I really should keep a dream diary for some of this crazy shit sometimes. Ah well.

Anyway, much longer post than expected and totally in a different direction, so here’s a clip, actually, the opening clip of Uwe Boll’s new “flick of awesome, but not quite ninja awesome”: Postal. I’m actually hearing some good about it and I do just say some, which is not much, but at least more than any of his previous stuff. Actually, it’s probably more than anyones said of all of his previous stuff combined, but bitch be cool, I might actually give him another chance with this…

It was my first weekend off from any filming commitments and it was awesome. Not so awesome was the fact I didn’t really end up doing anything else. But hey, I’m not complaining.

Finally had a haircut on Friday and now my hair is like all tidy and shorter. It was actually a shock to the system as its pretty much the shortest its been all year and I’ve been systematically avoiding going to get haircuts because everything I go in, I always seem to ask for more cutting to go on than I usually intend. Probably because I can’t see shit while their cutting and I have to have my glasses off, but meh… it’s tidy. At least my mum will be happy.

But yeah, not a lot going on. This is one of those dull periods where I’ve really got nothing to blog about and it’s hard to consistently come up with something to post about. Maybe tomorrow I’ll go poke a wasps nest with a stick with a pissed off wolverine tied to the end. Maybe that’ll spark something interesting to blog about.

In the meantime, WIRED did an interview with my personal jebus Ridley Scott about his final ultimate rerelease of one of my all time favourite films Blade Runner and have you seen the Ultimate Collector’s Edition coming out? I’m like omgwtfbbq awesome. Anyway, interview can be read here.

Got nothing, but the internet provides everything…

Kick-arse cool new Michel Gondry advertisment for Motorola (who always have the really cool film savy ads).

Video of a human flip book using a t-shirt, which is just awesome and one of those, why didn’t I think of that ideas. Making of video follows afterwards.

And finally, a US promo for 30 Rock, which is very cool, featuring another very cool guy…

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, but decided I’d leave it to a post onto its own…

Go watch Stardust.

If you’ve already seen it, go watch it again. If you don’t want to go alone, I’ll totally come along to see it again with you. And if you don’t want to see it… I’ll just hate you with full blown Nazi AIDS hate.

I’ve gone on about it before about how its like one of my all time favourite super awesome-o mega loved books and I’ve always read good things from the authour about how excellent an adaptation of the book it is and just watching the trailers about how sexy cool awesome it is and having watched it… holy crap my pants giga awesome it sure as hell is indeed. Great adaptation. Totally fun. Awesome everything. And I soiled myself with such delight watching it, my bowel movements were also applauding the film.

Best movie review ever? Yeah, best movie review ever… man, I’d love one of those taglines of mine to be used on a film poster one day…

“You’ll shit your pants with awesome!” -Chris Tan

Yeah, its been nearly a week, but I’ve been busy being lazy.

Over the weekend, I worked and finally finished my role on Michelle’s Wintec short that again, the actual title eludes me, but I’ll find out again soon enough. Was a fun shoot, back to the old minimal crew, maximus workload approach of fimmaking which I always enjoy immensely, and find utterly tiring at the same time. But don’t get me wrong, its been a really good shoot and I constantly cross my fingers that she’s happy with the results. Half the time I was really unsure about myself, the other half I just kept thinking she’s not throwing anything at you, it must be okay so far… Cause, you know, thats what girls do all the time with me. Throw things. Like clothes…

Anyway, the big surprise of this post to everyone will really be the fact that this is my second day not smoking (well, half of one shouldn’t really count), but yeah, I had a long overdue appointment with the dentist the other day and part of the things I’m to keep up with afterwards include… (a) no smoking, (b) no drinking, (c) no hot drinks and (d) rest.

And you know what? I’ve been doing all of those things. Kinda normal things that most people do. And yet, I’ve been surrounded by tobacco and alcohol and a recently bought batch of coffee that’s not being touched… plus going to sleep and stuff… it’s like my personal hell come to life.

Seriously, how do people function on these ‘no’ principles?!

Well, this weekend will have some long overdue drinking going on, coffee I’ll be touching pretty soon, sleep… yeah, this post isn’t coming too late yet and the smoking… Well so far, its actually not been too bad. I’ve been using nicotine patches which pretty much supply that need, but its just the whole routine of having a cigarette that is making me feel funny at times and jonesig for a smoke, but fuck it, I like smoking, I hate the side effects that come from it, of course, I’m not an idiot, and yeah, my chances of finding a nice girl go down, but its not like I’m looking for anyone anymore, but its a deliciously fun vice to have.

In saying that though, I’m actually gonna see how long I can last with this no smoking thing. I can see myself quitting and really, so far, its not that hard. But I’ve got no real drive yet to quit and no, I’m not waiting for a last minute sign like shitting a lung out on my next bowel movement, but I still enjoy the process and quitting has been on its way, but it can still take its time just a little longer.

Nothing new to report, but if you own a copy of the fantastically awesome film The Fountain try checking out a separate audio commentary Aronofsky recorded because the studio were a bunch of stingy douchebags. Available from his website, its a bitch to synch up with the wrong player and the thing was obviously recorded for a NTSC runtime, instead of our local PAL format, but its still a good commentary. Actually, its sporadic and he doesn’t actually properly discusses anything as to the symbolisms or meaning of the film itself, but… yeah… screw it, you can download it directly here.

…Or watch these videos of some scary morphing robot face things that can imitate your facial structure and project your face onto it.

The video of me beating up a busload of terroists with one arm behind my back had to be taken down unforutantely, as there’s been too many complains of people overdosing on awesome. Pity.

Another long weekend of filming stuff and beating up pro wrestlers. But this Wintec short is coming up on its last weekends, mostly pick ups to be done next week and… actually, yeah, that’ll be it apart from the onlining I’ve agreed to be in on.

After its over, I’m pretty keen to try and sit back, ignore things for a while and perhaps, eventually, as many nice and concerned friends have been brining up recently, to relax with the whole other peoples stuff and try focusing on my own things again. And I agree, but I don’t think my frame of mind is there. Not yet.

But this was a good weekend for a change. Had an interesting and good drinking night Friday, sweet relaxed shooting day on Saturday and fairly full on, but still easy Sunday. Caught up with some old friends, though briefly, still worthwhile, a copy of Sopranos season two I’ve been waiting on for ages now finally came in and already I’m into my semi-marathon watching of its awesomeness again. Oh and to top it off, just discovered that this site is now the first result when my name is googled… stoked!

Meant to post this earlier, but kept slipping my mind. Continual congrats to the good folk of Downending films as they’ve secured themselves a DVD deal for Down by the Riverside, been creating extra features, playing with cover designs (image linked below, I hope they don’t mind) and have been keeping all up to date with their shiny new blog.

Workload has crept up on me out of nowhere. Well, not nowhere, I could have avoided such a pile up, but… meh… I’m still lethargic from the weekend. But in the next day or two I’ve got a stack of unmarked assignments to finish off, an article for the university’s magazine to write, video to edit and just general paperworks to sort out. Pity I used my recent day off to watch a whole season of the Sopranos instead.

Ah well, I’ll finish my shift tomorrow, mark the assignments, get annoyed and channel that energy towards the article (cheekily titled “I Hate It Here”) and by then, be so tired, I’ll hit a creative high in cutting together this video.

Meanwhile, just got off msn with Eric Zhang if those who read this know who that is. Bitch came back to New Zealand and is living in Dunedin at the moment doing doco research work, which is both cool and surprising. He’s also got a doco idea in the pipeline which sounds pretty damn interesting to say the least. But yeah, just thought I’d mention it, cause I’ve got to pad these posts a bit if there’s to be any regular updating.

Friday was a false start to the weekend, where there was no work, not much that needed doing and just a lot of general creative activities including mask making (which was fun and involved working with paper mache, which I haven’t done in a long time).

Saturday I woke up at seven in the morning after very little sleep, even though I knew I should have and filmed on this yet to be titled wintec project all day until five-ish, six. Had about a half hour to prepare and shot straight out again for more filming, this time at the Great Race masquerade ball. This time with an even heavier camera and a lot more people to dodge.

Eventually finishing up at three in the morning, I got myself a bit more sleep for more filming at eight, which was interrupted a few hours into it by having to rush home and move in a piano. Rush back for more filming and I finish up about four to come home for some rest, catch up with Ross (back from a most envious time in Wellington) and then out to work again for the night, where I was nearly dead on my feet and screwing up an unbelievable amount of amusing times.

Still awake for some reason, I’ve now hit that plateau of so little sleep and exhaustion, I’m not really tired any more and nothing can touch me.

But yeah, the masquerade ball was a very pretty event as always. Being in with the organisers, its actually much more interesting on the behind the scenes of things, than it is as a patron. Mind you, in saying that, next year I’ll just go as a patron, rather than a worker. Its much easier that way.

Meanwhile, there’s now a piano in my room. And a big one at that, it’s actually slightly bigger than most pianos I’ve been around and a bit more than I was expecting. But yeah, it’s in my room. I’ve always been amused by some stories or jokes where someone comes out of something (most often a crazy night out) and some action has come back to haunt them. Out of boredom, exhaustion and being underwhelmed, I bought a piano. And it’s in my room.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the piano. But it’s like this thing I remember from somewhere in family guy (I’m guessing) and they’re saying “if you just ignore it, it’ll go away” and pull out and theres a cow (or something) right there in the room with them… yeah, for me its a big ass piano. I’m gonna have to try and convince the flatmates that it’s a good idea to move the bastard into the lounge instead. The out of placeness and monstrosity of this piano is freaking me out a bit.

Meanwhile Ross had a great time in Wellington being accepted as a shortlister for First Writer’s Initiative (remembered the name this time) and I finally got around to reading his accepted script and it’s got potential to be good. Really good. So all the best as he keeps using that alien brain of his to write stuff (which I’m starting to not do very well anymore).

Actually, the tiredness is coming back to me now. After this weekend and all previous shoots for that matter, I’m now formulating a general set of rules for myself on how I’m approaching anymore filmwork…

No free corporate/wedding/etc work.
Read the script before committing to anything.
Plan the hell out of everything.
Don’t say yes so quick, just because she’s hot.
Don’t compromise so much other regular activities to work on a project.
Don’t buy pianos on a whim.

Actually, it sounds like I’m complaining about working on this wintec shoot, but I’m not. I’m actually really enjoying myself. I’m just so exhausted from doing all the work on my own, which I always seem to get myself into doing and unfortunately prefer it that way. And yeah, people are right, I should take a break for a while, but… actually, there is no excuse, I just should. But I’m a film whore like that I guess. Got another short film coming up, possibly acting in another, possible music video to do too, wanna get onto writing and rewriting some stuff and oh yeah, lots of footage sitting around that needs editing. After those, I’ll take a break. Actually, I’ll probably be accepting more stuff again in no time soon just because I like the person offering. But one things is for sure, I will not to go out buying pianos at the drop of a hat next time.