Have spent the last two days in a semi state of exhausted no sleep, with a little pick me up of alcohol.

Sunday was the worst, I was barely anywhere and was like a walking zombie from the lack of sleep. Made worse by the fact that it was Easter and all the liquor stores were closed. Drove me nuts all day, until I unearthed some hidden booze late at night and all was well in the cosmos.

Today wasn’t so different. Must have still been tired and it very much resembled a Dead Chris Day, causing me to miss out on some wakeboarding. But there was poker and there was a good amount of drinking instead. Yayness.

Malcolm flew off for Germany today. The bastard. Hope to hear from him soon and must make a note to work on my jedi mind tricks in the meantime so I can convince him better to stick around next time, if there is one.

And the other night, I started writing a new feature film which will be quite interesting, as I’ve never thought of stories in the dimensions of feature length before. The idea of this one has been gestating around in my head for at least six months or more and it’s a sorta/kinda ensemble of stories and stuff. The basis of its is party aspects of myself (though not fucking literally, as those introspective semi-autobiographical stories are usually boring self indulgent wank fests) and the idea is to create a view of the world that closely resembles the way I see things. It’s based mostly on people and situations I know and have seen and it has all the intentions of being made by those people, but we’ll see really… It’ll probably fall flat on its arse and never properly see the light of day, but at least I can get onto thinking up other stuff for a change.

I’m sitting here at six in the morning, bored and broken after a long haul of a graveyard shift. There is still an hour to go and it feel like an eternity away. So to whittle away the minutes and to make myself feel better, I’m putting a perspective on the week for this post…

Monday was a good start where I had coffee with a lady named Michelle who is interested in getting me on board as DP for her Wintec masters short film, yet to be titled. Very much enjoyed our discussion and I’ll probably take up her offer as we seem to get along well, which seems to be my deciding factor in a lot of things, don’t matter what quality the production is or will be, if the people are cool and fun enough, I’m in.

Tuesday was mad rush day as we prepped footage from Pictures of you to be taken by Paul the Producer down to Wellington. Almost all color correction I did to enhance the images was pretty nef and took too long to tinker with and render at that point, so I just left the colors as they are on the raw footage and they looked fine enough as they were.

Wednesday was just lots of running around and getting shit sorted for Auckland, where I met and chatted with a super cool lady who worked in many high ranking jobs for various companies and produced serveral albums, artists and music videos. I was there to discuss a small filming job coming up in a few weeks, but the cool factor came in when she saw some previous film stuff of mine and totally dug it, much to my suprise. She’ll be going to Australia in a couple of weeks to meet up with some pretty cool unnamable directors looking for young talent to work with and help launch and she wants to push for me to be one of them… awesome.

Also got word that day that Peter Jackson was now interested in seeing some footage from Pictures of You in a couple of weeks.

Thursday, Paul heads down to Wellington and I rush back to Hamilton to make it to the VP1 class and then work and then some editing. Very tired that day.

Friday was pretty much a Dead Chris Day filled with drinking and sleeping, until having to work a graveyard shift, which wasn’t so bad compared to tonight as Saturday was spent doing much more drinking and parties and hooray, engagement party of Joe and Marama where there was lots of happy in the air and pretty half arsed speeches were given. Well… from Joe anyway. But many people not seen for a while were seen again and that was cool. Plus word finally coming in from Paul the Producer in Wellington that people are digging the Pictures of You footage and the biggest compliment I’ve gotten yet of the fact that it was filmed on digital and not film as that’s what it looks like to many. Which is just too cool.

But now… now I’m at work, totally not wanting to be here and started the shift with one really nasty waking hangover… but then again, this particular shift pays really well and on nights like this where there are no customers all night, there is much lazing and relaxing to be done. I just finished watching Art School Confidential which I quite liked, but its so not as good as Bad Santa or the greatness that is Ghost World.

Sigh… One thing I noted at Joe and Marama’s was that constantly writing stuff to this blog for people to read is cool, but quite often now when I talk to friends and try to tell them stuff and news, they’ve already read about it and I’m left with not much else to say, which is sad when you think about it. My internet life is getting to be far more interesting than my real life.

Holy crap this is one long post and looking at the clock, I think I just got paid $10 sitting here and writing it. Life ain’t so bad sometimes.

Again, posts getting infrequent. But then again, not much going on.

Some lovely bouts of drinking over the weekend. Had some ‘last’ drinks with some uni folks and got nicely drunk with Malcolm, who flies out next Monday, for quite an indefinite time. He shall be missed.

But the hangover was awesome and today is my third day off work and not much has been achieved. Editing on Spit-Takes became quite a scary task and though there is probably enough footage, at this point it’ll be debatable if anything worthwhile will be usable for Paul to take down on to Wellington. But in saying that, the current edit of Pictures of You is looking quite nice. I’ll be doing some basic colour corrections on the footage before its taken down tomorrow and hopefully be able to make it to a cheap Tuesday viewing of Black Sheep afterwards.

Also got caught with the consumerism whore bug and bought my first DVDs in a long time… actually, seven movies… Children of Men, Desperado, El Mariachi, Jarhead, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Sonatine and The Wild Bunch. Plus a random look on trademe and I’ve found an auction for a CD/DVD rack exactly like the ones I’m currently using. Which, like when the last one (the second) was purchased, it was due to a demand to get new shelf space for the huge overflow of guilty purchases. I’ve actually had this problem for about two years now and to actually find a third one is insanely good fortune (cause they were really cheap things to buy, but are reliably good for DVD storage) and by the looks of the pile that’s already built up, I’ll be need a fourth one really soon.

Who’s looking forward to 300, Pan’s Labyrinth and The Illusionist this week? The thought of all those movies has got me so turned on.

Got back today from a rather brief visit to Auckland. Took a semi-impromptu trip up Sunday night and drank somewhat and got to finally catch up with a lot of friends I had not seen a long time (and film them spitting like crazy). There were also many I’d not managed to catch up with, but that’ll have to be for the next time, which will hopefully be not as long of a period as the last one.

Had quite a few things to mention and talk about, but its been a rather long day, and my mind is currently drawing a blank on a lot of things. Tomorrow I’ll be making the first (and with luck not the last) trip to Uni to give a helping hand and special guest tutoring a Screen and Media class. Thoughts of totally screwing with first year students are currently revolving around my head and I like it.

If I’ll have time tomorrow, I’ll be starting the capturing and editing of footage for Spit-Takes too. Gonna fast track its production and hopefully have a decent cut set and ready by next week. Of course, there is a lot of work and things like saving people from burning buildings to be done this week, so it’ll be a little small mission to get done. After defeating the Martian-Walrus-People that is.

And now… here’s a silly fun office related ad that I really liked…

A fucking short version of the Departed…

And finally, another 300 trailer, this time its extended, uncut and probably uncensored. Plus, if you pause it at the 1:52 mark, there is a flash frame of a test shot from Watchmen… Frank Miller, Alan Moore, lots of blood and nipples, what more can you ask for?

Oh yeah… Hot Fuzz coming out Thursday, I’m so freaking turned on now.

Some issues with blogger and little bits of apathy prevented any posts from happening this week. Plus there was actually a lot of working during the day and editing during the night that kept this site at bay.

We had our Pictures of You wrap party on Friday which was a nice affair to see people again, catch up, drink and look totally ridiculous. A big happy birthday to Old Friend Scott for yesterday… I spent Saturday well and truely hungover all day and sleeping and eating a lot and the recovery was just in time for me to work a graveyard shift where once again, I watched movies, read comics and abused drunk customers (orientation week man…). Just about to head out to film some more of Spit-Takes and knowing that I’m not gonna watch enough on a cheap Tuesday, thinking of going to a film tonight… Oscar season, always too many to go to.

Quickies… Proof that the universe’s karma is against me, Penn Radio which I’ve recently been listening a lot, had its last show on Friday. Which is a shame but I think its missing out on the rest of a Moon Landing conspiracy thread you can download the casts here and here. Which is facinating stuff, but we’ll probably never hear the conclusion to it.

The new trailer for Paprika is out and just simply look amazing. Satoshi Kon is one of my favourite directors and everything he makes and touches turns to edible gold. Watch any or all of his previous works and you won’t be disappointed, my personal favourite is either Perfect Blue or Millennium Actress… Actually I really love the series Paranoia Agent, which would just leave out Tokyo Godfathers, but I loved that film too… screw it, trailers here.

Started out Friday with very little sleep, worked, rested, filmed a charity auction (with beer) and then played poker (with burbon), slept for two hours and then with a hangover in hand worked for just over eleven, then hung out with more people (more burbon and then rum), but not for too long as hangover was still hovering above my tired body at that point. Eventually slept for many many hours and woke up this afternoon not feeling very filmmaker like much to my disappointment (sorry Ross). Will have to reschedule Spit-Takes for another day (not too far away). Today was also friend Zoe’s birthday, where eating and drinking wine out of a jar (classy) took place and now I sit content to not be doing much.

Have started using tags for this website and have been attempting to tag previous posts, but there have now been over 100 made and that makes for a lot of clicking and tagging… ah well.

For coolness, here are a series of photos taken at just the right angle with just the right object, creating some of the coolest illusions around. Click on the sample photo for more.

And on my recent occasional visit to the Mountain Goats site where I wait with bated breath for their next New Zealand tour, I’ve noticed their website has had a new design. Do I mention how much I love the Mountain Goats enough here? Do you love the Mountain Goats? If you don’t, that makes you a communist. Forever I’ll have Rob to thank for introducing me to them on a fateful drive to Wellington, thus allowing me to pass the Mountain Goats love to a good portion of Hamilton. I wonder if he still reads this site… if you do… sup.

Here’s “No Children” live…

Found myself constantly thirsty and drinking large quantities of liquids today. And it wasn’t really the heat or anything, I just felt the need to drink rehydrate myself all the time and one after the other it wouldn’t stop. Totally strange and I blame the mustache for it. This bastard has got to go sometime, but at the same time I am drawn to its magical healing abilities and wonder if I should keep it or not. Then again, it would also make it easier on the totally-not-imaginary girls that keep throwing themselves at me. I rule.

But shot off a bit more of Spit-Takes today and have Sunday penciled in to shoot some of the actual more important scenes of the film. Total progress on Spit-Takes so far… about 6% filmed. Estimated after Sunday… 80%

Also filming a benefit function tomorrow evening and is currently in brainstorming mode over making some TV ads for the local Auter House video store… Which, I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned here or not, but if you live in Hamilton and you like good decent films, go there for all your good shit rental needs. Their selection is awesome and they even rent Criterion copies and everyone knows Criterions make me wet my pants in orgasmic delight.

Plus, from Tanya’s site, is a really awesome write up on her thats on the New Zealand Herald site that you will read here. I’m not sure if it was in the papers as well (most likely) but its totally awesome, even if its about myspace the Tanya factor negates the -3 effect of myspace… which reminds me I have to check my profile again… Right after I gather more offerings for the magical healing Jebus mustache.

And so today was our last official day of shoot… A nice easy hospital clinic room scene with short dialogue between two characters, with absolutely no hiccups. Much beer was celebrated afterwards and now I write this from work as it is, as always, a boring night.

It’s like coming out of another world, making a film at every waking hour, going mental and crazy and creative and all and now its over and we’re all going back to menial jobs and getting the bills paid. Along with a few pick-up shots and cutaways, there is still much post production work to be done, months of editing lie ahead along with re-creating the soundscape, ADR and scoring of the music… and with a little luck, it won’t be long till we’re back in the saddle, ready and making the next film.

But right now all I can think about really is how awesome my bed is going to be once I finish this shift in five hours. Woke up Friday morning with a massive hangover, nothing paralytic, just nasty. Spent the day watching films and contemplating sleep before going off to work an hour early (as if I remember what time shifts are supposed to start) and killed time in a bar celebrating Brooke’s birthday with mates and shooting tequila (which was intended to help work off the hangover, but just made things a tad worse). At work, I was being ‘re-trained’, so there was another fellow on to retrain me, but we just took advantage of the extra manpower and took turns at napping (Jay got two hours, I slipped in just over three). After work, there was enough time for a couple hours more of sleep, shooting at one till four and then drinking, poker at a friends place and then now I’m at work still writing this. Pretty tired and don’t think I’m making too much of a point blogging all of these details. Though I must add, appologies to both Marama and Joe and Daisy and co for being unable to attend both of your respective housewarmings.

Um… thats about all I’ve got left. Oh but how cute and cool and annoying would this alarm clock be? It like wheels itself away and rolls around your room going off if you don’t wake up properly and turn it off the first time. Neat-o.

Woke up early and took a nap. Came into work half an hour late. Took a couple of minutes to remember how to work everything. Served an irate Italian only speaking customer, had one kid puke up in front of me, served hot summer clothed babes and got stared at by scary yellow shirt staring guy.

It was weird as hell to be back there. Though the store had changed a little bit, I remembered everything in the job and there are a lot of associated memories from when I last worked there which was really surreal at times to remember. Some good, some bad, but it was certainly interesting.

Anyway, this is brief. Malcom is coming down tonight and there will soon be much drinking and rejoicing of the old days really soon. Ready and waiting for the hangover tomorrow.

After nearly a one week break, we shot two more scenes today, including one scene we had shot earlier in the schedule, but had to abandon halfway through due to changing lighting conditions. After several attempts to reschedule that scene in somewhere for the rest of the shoot, several times actually… it’s finally been shot.

Also another scene at magic hour done and tomorrow will be our second to last day! It would have been our last, but there was a fall through on one location, which leaves it to be shot next weekend once its available again.

Meanwhile, I finally got to catch Couch Soup last night as part of a rather packed audience. Which I will remind anyone in the area, their final Hamilton performance tomorrow night, 8pm Meteor Theatre. Go. Funny. Greatness.

And also started shooting on Spit Takes: A Mouthful of Comedy last night and shot the most complicated scene first (involving 13 people in one take). The rest should be a cakewalk and hopefully all photography will be done by the end of the month and it’ll be cut together relatively easy by the end of March.

Tomorrow will be a long day/evening, but should be a good one oh… I forgot to mention earlier, but a congrats to Nigel and Shirow on their engagement and I look forward to drinking in celebration with them tomorrow night… after drinking from wrapping… flipper yay.

Now I’m gonna get a drink of water, arm wrestle a panda and go to sleep. Cause I can and pandas got nothing on me.