Mammoth magazine interview with me regarding our 48 Hour film and the finals is now out. Did the interview late last night, or early this morning via the sensual Matt Scheurich, where we had a general gander on the film and general stuff and he pretty much printed it as I said, which made for a more ‘personal’ interview and hopefully one not too offensive or weird. Pick up a local copy now or check it online here.

Meanwhile, I’m still recovering from this annoying as fuck flu that just wont go away. It’s not crippling and I’m not bed ridden, but it’s dropped my energy levels and everytime I think it’s going away, it comes back, throws up a banner, blows some really annoying loud whistles and then kicks me in the nuts for good measure. Doesn’t help I haven’t actually been resting much or drinking over the weekend, but hey… I got nothing. Almost nothing. Bought several seasons of Arrested Development, the Neverwhere TV series (score!) and the Tarkovsky box set which is pure awesome and will provide lots of good viewing when I get the time to.

Several film projects coming up, and quite a few that need finishing as well, but that’s for a later post. In the meantime, here’s Michel Gondry following up solving a rubiks cube with his feet, with solving it with his nose.

God I love him. Oh, and just to end on a hilariously gross note… Clitter!

Monday night I got a phone call and it was nothing but Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes along with some Samuel L Jackson one-liners. This went on for about 20 minutes I’d say something and then something from an Arnie film would be quoted back to me. The conversation ended when, well… I guess they hung up. But I never got a call back and I still wonder now if that was a radio station or just some jokers pulling one helluva elaborate prank.

Tonight has been just as interesting. Last week, the local papers did an article on the 48 and our win. We had a picture put in and that ran on Thursday afternoon. I’ve worked two shifts since then and had completely forgot about it till tonight when no less than six customers have come up to me wondering at first if that was me and me sheepishly saying yes. Weirdness for it to just happen suddenly and so far only in one night so long after the fact.

But there’s still over a week till the 48 Finals are televised and its starting to come to the question of where exactly we’re all going to be hanging out to watch the show next Thursday. So far it’s just at someones house, but I’m heavily considering hiring out a room at the Academy, but we’ll see for now.

Other than that, not a helluva lot has been going on. I’ve still got this bout of sleeping a lot, which is odd as I’ve been eating alright and well… just being alright. For the last few days I’ve been sleeping in more and kinda staying in bed a lot. At first I thought I was getting sick again and even had a semi-sore throat going on, but since then the throat has gotten better and well… We’ll just see after tonight.

Y’s Guys Film’s Action short, “An Eye For An Eye”. Chuck Norris reference no?

Seems I’ve got nothing else to post about but more 48 Hour things. The wildcard entries were meant to be announced yesterday, but have been delayed till today, which were announced, but only one of three: Lense Flare, wildcard selected and winners of last year’s competition. Scary. But my main concern is that the other two wildcards wont be announced until the night of the finals or at least not till much closer to then. The anxiety is killing me and more so the many others who are being considered as nominees, in particular, the good fellas at Y’s Guys Films.

One thing though that caught my attention is how we’re mentioned in the press release here.

“And then there are the sleeping giants, the unassuming and kooky Guerilla Monkeys from Hamilton…”

Mental.

Introduction videos I made for ours and Y’s Guys in the 48 Hamilton Finals.

Now rested from a fun, but exhausting weekend. Spent the most of Friday recovering from a lovely hangover and made my way up to Auckland in the evening for a dinner and drinks and eventually meeting a friend in town where, going from one lousy bar to another, I ran into some Hamilton friends also up for the night on completely different reasons, but all of us probably going to the same bar. Freaky.

Saturday was planned for hanging out with people during the day, but that got cut short by a badly punctured tyre that resulted in me looking like mad for, at first, a decent garage/tyre guy and then, realising I was in Auckland, just trying to find one that was open for fucking, fucks sake. Finally found one on the arse end of Otahuhu and they were great and cheap. But I had to sacrifice a lot of catch up time with certain people. But still managed to squeeze in some drinks with some others.

Woke up Sunday very tired and only slightly hungover to come back down to Hamilton at about seven in the morning (the most ungodly hour of the day) to film our intro and interviews for the televised screening of the 48 Finals, which will be on C4, 8.30pm 3rd of July. Exciting stuff I’m sure.

Here’s a picture of me from the shoot.

Ladies…

Okay, I’ve mostly recovered from my hangover.

48 Hamilton Finals were last night and there were some really good fun films played. I was pretty drunk. I can never handle these things sober. Well… never tried anyway.

But anyway, to cut it short awards were announced and we won for Best Music (yay), Best Use of Prop, Best Cinematography and Best Film. Fuck.

The music were like, yay, that was awesome and I kinda saw that happening, but cinematography and film? The best? Really? Its totally mental and I’m absolutely honored, but was a bit overwhelmed last night to talk (that or just drunk), but this is cool, but retarded at the same time. I’m stoked to have gotten this far and look forward to getting my arse handed to me in the national competition. Still keeping up the pessimism tradition.

Just watched Frank Darabont’s The Mist. I’ve never read a Stephen King story, nor hardly watched any of his other adaptations, but I’m starting to suspect I should. The Mist obviously isn’t a Shawshank or a Green Mile, being in a different genre and all, but damn, is it pretty good for what it is, human study in one screwed up situation. Or so I’d like to think. Or trying to think now. I really liked this film and recommend it to people to check out if they’re interested, but only to those really. If your not keen, this isn’t one of those films where I’ll be berating you to watch lest the devil come get you in the night. Actually, I do recommend watching it on one particular point, it has one of “those endings” that is pretty damn incredible and no doubt some fucker is going to ruin it for you, so better be him (or her) to it.

And in other news, about 15 hours to go till the 48 finals. Now I’ve stated earlier that I didn’t care if we win anything (except for music) and I still stand by that principal. But goddamn it, I just want to get this thing over and done with and not have to second guess anything or shrug off many people’s very kind words, which I’m very great full for, but man, do I hate surprises and all this sudden build up to the finals is starting to nag at me with mass tension and optimism. Been mostly balancing it off with some sweet pessimism. I’m actually hoping we get no where near the top, even in the wildcard pool, cause then that would just mean feeling the same anxious crap over again. Shit, there I go, starting to think optimistically again. Bad man. You’ll probably loose.

God its gonna be great to be drunk tonight.

Had a post half written and saved as a draft, but its slightly too old to finish off.

So anyway, a few days gap, only because I’ve been ridiculously busy almost, nearly, but not quite non-stop since Thursday, where my schedule went from teaching to working, to transporting, to filming, to working, to more filming, then editing, then working, then filming, then resting a bit and then more filming and working and editing and working. Which brings us up to about now where I just cooked a full pot of spaghetti bolognese at three in the morning. Delicious.

But now I should hopefully be a bit richer and working with Sash, we both have some sweet funny introductions for our 48 films to be played on Thursday at the finals. We were given the option to make a video introduction to our films where we just gave a bit of background, talked about the competition and our thoughts, blah, blah, blah… but instead, we’ve just kinda, sorta, made another short film to accompany our respective entries.

How will this go down with audience members? Only time will tell, that and if you are to come along to the finals too. This Thursday night, 8.30pm at Chartwell Cinemas in Hamilton! Tickets are $15.50 which makes me sick to my stomach, and probably why I haven’t gotten a ticket yet and probably should before it gets sold out or something ironiclly retarded like that.

Also have drinks planned beforehand so I can be in my favourite state for these kind of screenings. Drunk and a drink and degree away from tipping over in shame. Can’t wait for the photos.

48 Finalists have been posted. Looks like we’re on the list.

HAMILTON
BlindVision – Post Mortem – Drama
Bob – Just a Brush Stroke Away – Adventure
Bwod – True Bromance – Romance
Down there for 10 Years – I am Simon – Animal
Guerrilla Monkeys – Sum of all Parts -Horror
Hold Your Breath – Fresh Start -Time Travel
R.O.R.P – Hamilgone -Time Travel
Roving Eye Digital – Post Perfection – Crime
Spin Productions – One Way Ticket -Time Travel
The 18th Floor – Sweet Tooth – Mystery
The Western Periscope Institute – Le Belle Corne de Brume – Romance
Y’s Guys – An eye for an eye – Action

It’s a very interesting finalists list, some on there I didn’t think would make it, others that totally are and that’s awesome. It’s such an interesting list this year, I have no idea who’s gonna win what or whatever, but I sure am looking forward to it.

The finals screening is next Thursday at Chartwell cinemas. 8.30pm onwards. Come and support some sweet films. Tickets available now. Do eeeet.