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NOTE: I shot this film about a month ago (Dec ‘06) so writing most of these accounts from memory… and though I’m not big on using profanity, this post is reflective of my thoughts, so this one is no holds barred.

Thursday, Dec 7, 2006. 7:30am
alarm on my cell phone rings.. half asleep, i tried to resist the urge to press the snooze button.. keyword, tried. next thing i know i’m back asleep with the covers over my head. not for long though. 2mins later, she calls. “WAKE UP!!!” she yells, with a cheery voice. ugh.. “heyy.. gmorn..zz..” i mumble.. “WAKE UP!!!” “hmm? zzz.. right…” “you have to get to work early today!” “hm? oh yea.. OH!” SUDDENLY i shoot up out of bed and pick out the crusties from my eyes.. “RIGHT! ok thanks bye!” i yell back and rush into the shower…

8am
stuck in rush hour traffic on the beltway. profanity spills from my mouth at stupid drivers like the blood spills in Virumaandi and Kill Bill. “can’t remember the last time i got to work at or before 9am” i think to myself… wow.. that’s right. cuz today is IT. the first day of shooting another film! that’s why i’m getting to work on time, so i can leave by 4:30pm and still have enough time to drive 2 hours and be on set on time.. call time is 7pm

1pm, lunch break
i can’t seem to get any work done.. i don’t feel like it.. i’m just jumpy.. i wanna get outta here and start shooting already.. arghhhh.. that excitement.. the rush.. of being on a set.. the crazy energy i get from all the hustle and bustle of people being around.. the live wire that is john johnson.. such infectious energy i’ve never seen before.. if it’s guerilla filmmaking, it’s darkstone entertainment. it’s john.

3:30pm
a whole hour to go before i get outta here….

3:57pm
“fuck it i’m out!” says brain. shutdown comp. get on highway. call time: 7pm. arghhhh fuck. rush hour. AGAIN. it’s ok.. i got plenty of time. let’s recap. what the hell kinda character am i playing again? i recall john’s initial convo when he signed me for the film…

***FLASHBACK***
CUT TO: me sitting in office, cell phone rings. caller ID says johnny. “johnny! what’s goin on?” “listen curry (his affectionate name for me.. all in good fun), what kinda dates you got going on in december? i need two weeks from ya” “hm.. lemme check (open google calendar).. i got a shoot for this other film going on in early december. i’m free after the 7th. what’s goin on?” narration continues from his end.. it’s an action/fantasy.. it’s always gotta be a mix of horror or fantasy with either drama or action.. that’s john’s style. that’s what he does, and he does it well. “sounds good john.. where do i come in?” “you’re playing an angel” i laugh. “umm.. what??” “you’re playing an angel…”

CUT TO: Present. Still stuck in rush hour.
knowing john’s style, he’s not gonna want a typical look for me.. my outfit? a trenchcoat, combat boots, white shirt, black pants, and a silver tie. accessories? a fedora. weapon? cross-bow. damn. no feather-winged angels here. not on john’s set. i try to remember some of my lines in my head.. it’s very proper english. almost british. but john said he didn’t want me to do a british accent. how the fuck am i going to play this character? i have no clue!! that’s the thing about these fantasy movies. you can’t really build your character from real life or personal experience or even other prior film characters. all of a sudden, i realize everything in my acting bible, Michael Caine - Acting in Film, goes out the window. i read this book everytime i shoot a new film. (i highly recommend this book for all actors who want to work in film, and for anyone else that wants to understand actor psychology or just any film fanatic, for that matter). so this is one excerpt that always stands out for me…

When becoming a character, you have to steal. Steal whatever you see. You can even steal from other actors’ characterizations; but if you do, only steal from the best. If you see Vivien Leigh do something, or Marlon Brando or Robert de Niro or Meryl Streep do something that fits your character, steal it. Because what you’re seeing them do, they stole.

Michael Caine

that’s great advice, Mr. Caine. but slight problem. i can’t seem to recall any fucking movies with fucking angels. i’m gonna look and sound like a dumbass. and that’s something i’m really good at playing. believe me. suddenly my mind reverts to the costume again. trenchcoat… fedora.. boots.. wait a second. what are some of the characters’ names in this movie? Goose. Hudson. hang on… this reminds me of john’s earlier movie, Shadowhunters (also available on Netflix). could this possibly be… a sequel..?? script is in the passenger seat. stuck in rush hour anyway.. let me take a look. cover page says in big, bold letters…

ORIA
Shadowhunters 2

great. i didn’t particularly like Shadowhunters. the movie was made with too much gratuitous nudity and gore (don’t mind the gore as much), and the lighting sucked. the production value wasn’t all that great either. oh well, at least this is a cool role. not everyday i get to play an angel that kicks ass right? i’m being stupid. just move on. concentrate on your role. ok, so i’m battling some demons alongside some of the heroes from Shadowhunters. cool. we’re only shooting one scene today, so shouldn’t be too bad. on with the drive…

6:15pm. Arrive on set in West Virginia. The set: an old house belonging to one of the crew people, johnny sullivan (johnny S). Though he has another house where he lives, he has offered to let johnny J use this one to shoot his film. From the outside this looks like just another house.. on the inside it has more history to it than I would’ve thought possible…

i’m early. the first actor on set. most of the crew should already be here since they’ve already been shooting here for the past 3-4 days. i’ve already grabbed dinner from taco hell and am probably going to end up farting during my scene. the schedule calls for shooting from 7pm-11pm. i walk in the door, and see some new faces i haven’t worked with before. after the introductions, i walk up the stairs to meet john. i’m intercepted by an elder, big, burly guy with a huge handlebar mustache. the guy must be in his 50s and is easily 6 feet tall and must weigh at least 250 lbs. i think to myself “saala.. iske saath panga nahin lene ka” (this is not a guy you wanna mess with) but to my surprise, with the gentlest of smiles, he extends his hand to shake mine and introduces himself as JP, one of the production assistants. as i’m about to introduce myself he says “i know who you are. i loved your work in Skeleton Key and Alucard. a pleasure to finally work with you.” damn. i smile back and shake his hand after which he hands me the log book (john keeps a sign-in log book to see which of his cast and crew are very prompt about arriving on time to set. those that have good attendance get to work with him on his future projects. and those that don’t end up on his black list…)

as i settle in, john fills me in on the troubles he’s been having with the film already. we won’t be shooting the next day (friday) as scheduled because the lead actress quit on the first day of the shoot…

…fuck.