Yes, I didn’t post anything on April 1st because I was too busy. I am stayin’ alive (barely) by scratching and finding new contracts, seems to always be a source of income- even though most of the contracts I’ve been getting lately range from as little as $25 to $75. (These are a lot more common, like once every two weeks.) I’ve been doing contract work for 8 years here and there, mostly small jobs like logo designs, banners, a small website here and there, a video project or other multimedia project here and there… But now is the most difficult period yet to find new contracts. I love how most of my Blog posts are when I don’t actually have time and end up posting at 2:30 AM instead of SLEEPING. I used to get by on 4 hours of sleep– but those days are OVER!

The good news?

After injuries, tears, laughing and cheers, Filming for “Glow” is complete, and editing has begun. It took 6 days to film, approximately 4 hours each day. Saturday was the longest with about 6-8 hours of filming. Starting in the morning and finishing a shot up on “Turtle Hill” (on the appropriate ’starcrest’ street). The first few nights involved getting used to the using equipment and lighting, resolving snags/complications/missing equipment, and getting used to set-up times. Working with such a low budged forced us to…

…think on our feet and come up with ways to “get it done.”- one example of this is when we put a generator in the back of the truck so that we could use a clamp-light in the front cabin of the truck while filming a freeway driving scene. A generator had to be found during filming time relatively nearby and before everything closed.

Another example is when the original plan for fireworks fell through and we took an unexpected Sunday drive into Chinatown to find replacements. We felt like either undercover police, or drug dealers looking for the “hook ups” since most fireworks are illegal. We talked to about 10 people who each told us a different tale before we got to “the right one”… Thankfully the fireworks we needed were the legal type (in Santa Ana at least).

The whole week is now a blur to me, unfortunately. Every day was a race against time. The video clips will serve as a good memory for most of it, but the times during set-up and in-between scenes are hard to recall though leave me with a feeling of tremendous appreciation for everyone who was there to help.

My only wish was that I could’ve relaxed and had more time to film but unfortunately I only had the HD camera for less than a week and had to deliver it back to Santa Monica at 7am monday morning… ordinary people work during the week, leaving hardly any time for filming some relatively complex scenes… so on Sunday I saw a part of me that I’d prefer not to see again- a very tense, easily agitated, dazed, tired, somewhat scared and nervous (almost flipped when a bulb went out), anxious, bewildered, basically eccentric looking Stu- especially after the bleeding from getting hit on the head by a flying glow-stick.

So with that, filming was done– blood, sweat, and tears- literally… amazingly, what said would take minimum three weeks, cost over $2000, and require a staff of semi-professionals, we managed to accomplish in a few days  (although it had its consequences- it was truly worth it!). with a cost of $1200 (-$400 camera rental = $800 on credit!). Some of the props (Drum-set with glowing drum heads) I designed and built myself (with the help of my Parents). I also built stands for the lights, as well as a large strip-light and a steady-cam with the help of THE Joe.

The music video should take about 4 weeks to fully edit- if everything runs smoothly (I’m already getting crashes and whatnot… GRR.) But it should be done, it will be done, and it will be entertaining and inspiring.

Also,

Being somewhat inspired by the music video, a few of us have gotten together, pooled our talents, and are starting a Media Production company, details to come later.