******** PRE-PRODUCTION JOURNAL************

Jan 2005 - March 4, 2005

In late January I was contacted by someone known only as Nathan S. He sent me an email stating that he wanted to shoot video of us. At the time I didn't know if this was some 17 year old or what. So we exchanged a few emails and Steve and I finally went to meet him at Waubonsee CC.

Nathan wanted to direct and produce a sketch comedy show, but as he said, he isn't a comedian. So he found us online, checked out our stuff and decided that we were the right group. He walked Steve and I through the studio and we discussed what to do. It was decided that we would shoot 6 episodes to start with and see where it goes. The series will be distributed to cable access stations throughout Chicagoland and Nathan will also be peddling it to networks. We were calm on the outside but jumping around inside. This was the gig we'd wanted for a long time; we write and perform, somebody else shoots and edits. YEAH!!

So first thing was first, we had to hold auditions (something we were looking to do any way) to increase the size of the group and we had to produce 6 full TV scripts. As a group we have been meeting once a week to pick which sketches and songs to put into each script. I then take that list and put together the "teleplay" version of the sketches. Then we do a read through, punch it up if need be, make any corrections and I make my corrections during the week, along with the first draft of the next episode. (PS, to format this I am using a Microsoft Word template called ScriptSmart which is available free from the BBC of all places. It's free. And don't freak. Because it's British it marks this spelling of color wrong.)

As I begin this journal on March 5, 2005, three scripts have been completed. We plan to begin shooting the on location footage in April. Nathan will then have that edited in time for our studio shoot when we perform the rest of the script in front of the small audience. But first we need to hold some auditions.

Here is the poster that was produced to get more people to the auditions. I also posted notices to several Illinois and Chicago actor websites. Because I mentioned the TV show, we got a good response. Steve also sent out a press release to all the area papers.

First Auditions - March 5, 2005

The first audition was held at Waubonsee in the TV studio, follow the green signs.

Ice Cream Training w/ some auditioners.

The Chirstmas Sketch with some of the regular cast

War Monger, again w/ some cast

That's our TV director Nathan shooting the audition.

Scratch Paper

Creative Descriptions

Steve & Millie heading to our post-audition pow wow where we stuff our holes and talk about the people who came out (and thank you)

Kris bringing up the rear... oh wait..

Auditions March 10, 2005
Lotsa Ladies YAY!

Much better turn out at the second audition. Great, lively group too. There was lots of laughing and fun being had.

Just one more audition to go.

Millie & Kris join in on War Monger

"Until The Vows Come Home"

"Leading The Blind"

"Girl Talk"

Kris watches people fight for our favor

Not That Blouse

Other auditioners look on

I wanted to steal that TV.

"War Monger" again.

"The Christmas Sketch"

Like I said, ladies

After the audition the four of us picked the sketches for the last 3 scripts. Episode 5 is all car scenes. Episode 6 is where we have stuffed a lot of our classics.

March 14, 2005 Update

Three or four years ago Dale did this sweet piece of computer animation. It's the Gag logo, all in shimmering metal. It does a fly by in the sky, turns around and lands in the middle. He has a DVD quality version that he is now sending me on mini-dv. Nathan will use this in the opening credits.

Speaking of the opening credits... for the last 12 years "Beef Jerky" by John Lennon has been our theme on stage. Because we are hoping to pedal this around and possibly sell DVDs at shows, we can't really use that as the show theme. About a month ago I offered up some new music. What the group selected was a track I created with ACID Music called "Sunday Night". I used at behind the Sunday night line up announcements on Boundary Waters Radio many moons ago. It's up beat and should work nicely... it's no Lennon, but what are you going to do?

March 21, 2005 THE NEW CAST

The audition process is over!! We have selected our new cast members. Here is the list of new cast members Charles Ramsey, Raymond Lawson, Danielle Savoie, Marea Berkley, Lisa Sprague and Steve Stern. So we are now moving ahead with the show.

April 1, 2005 Episode 4 script done and New Cast Pics

Kris and newbie Danielle Savoie

a semi-cast photo (in back L to R)
Kris, Raymond Lawson, Danielle, Steve
(front) Millie, Lisa Sprague, Steve Stern

Another one with Lord looking even stranger.

It's 3:30 in the morning and I have just finished putting together the 4th Episode. I had to change a couple sketches from the original list that Steve, Kris, Mil and I outlined a couple of weeks ago. Having read through the first 3 eps with nearly full cast I realized that we needed more ensemble pieces. So I pulled "Phone Mail", which is only one man and then people on the phone and "What About Them" which is just 2 people. The replacements are better and feature more people.

Finding a challenge in making sure that 10 people get screen time. It's fun though.

The new episode is called "319".

April 12, 2005 Moving Forward

Met with director Nathan Stein last night. We mapped out the shooting schedule for Exteriors. It's starting later than we originally hoped. We begin shooting on the streets of DeKalb on Saturday May 21. There will be about 6 or 7 days of shooting before we move it into the studio in front of a small audience. Those 6 or 7 days, however, will be weekends primarily because we are working folks. So those 6 or 7 days of shooting will take us until near the end of June.

One thing that we are shooting for is genuine locations. Rather than redressing someone's house, we're going to actually get a hotel room, shoot in a bar and shoot in a lunch counter diner. Nathan, Steve and myself are working on getting some of these locations. Other locations are mostly outside and on the street. Shooting in Dekalb for the street scenes allows us to work with several different kinds of backdrops; storefronts, old brick etc. It should be fun... barring rain.

I also delivered Nathan the animated logo for the opening credits and a CD with the theme song. Tonight I will finish up Episode 5 ("Cars"), cast it and send it off to the cast for our meeting tomorrow.

Let me get gushy for a moment about the cast, because I am a gushy guy and I know that some of them read this... I love our cast. The newbies have a lot of energy and have pumped me full of energy. 9 months ago I couldn't have cared less. Now, I am chock full o' Gag. My frustration right now is that we aren't jumping into a brand new live show which is all about energy and nerves and excitement. The TV show is exciting, but as Nathan pointed out, there's a lot of hurry up and wait. We are working on getting some gigs during the run up to the TV show, because I need to get this cast on stage!

April 20, 2005 Episode 6 and Gigs

Just finished and emailed out the 6th and final episode of this series, creatively titled "Finale". It's chock full of classics. No really, we saved up some of our best for this one. While compiling the script I did have to drop one of Charlie's ideas that I'm not going to elaborate on here (because it's a great idea and we'll use it next time around. It's going to be a great episode. There is one joke that I added to the script that I eventually had to cut. Without telling you where it was placed, it was added to an existing sketch and Millie suggested that it didn't really work. But the phrase had me laughing enough that I am going to put it up here: "I let him touch me on the love salad". Oh well, it's gone now.

My dream is also coming true. The new crew is getting us gigs. We currently have no less than 5 prospects in the works. We'll be onstage before I know it.

Oh! And here are some pics to tide you over.

Lisa and Marea and an
ominous glowing entity we call Kaldooa.

Lisa slips into something a little
more comfortable

Millie and Danielle hanging on Kris' floor

The right honorable Steve Stern

Kris and Danielle

April 21, 2005 - Ever forward

Charlie and Raymond rehearse Virtual Violence

Raymond and me

Always lots to do when you're not acting

Steve L and Danielle enjoy Charlie from behind

Lisa enjoys herself

Charlie looks over the script

Danielle and Steve-squared

Kris, Marea, Stern and Danielle

I'm probably saying something awfully directorly

"This is so cool!" "I know!"

Rhetorical Q & A

More Rhetorical

Lordo thinks of how to get his finger into some Wendy's chili

Misters Lawson and Stern

Charlie and Steve S rehearse the end of Rhetorical

The Pen Face Crew

again...

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