Hullu again. We recently squeezed a shoot in between some dense busyness and the slightly early birth of my son, Piero. Somewhere, somehow, it occurred to me that Dan's version of the "shitty cap-offs" at the end of the Part 1 Vignettes should be a "dog fight". We knew that sometime in the film one of us would have to eat a lot of dog food, with dog food being a rarity amongst foods for Snacks - one we haven't tried or worked with in our performances. And we knew we'd be calling on Eric Franklin and his amazing Greenmount Ave manse for the shoot, but the idea that Dan would "box" and superior dog in a gambling den atmosphere was a recent inspiration.
Why "cap-off" shittily? The previous post in this blog skims on the shoot we did for Tom's "shitty cap-off", but this one, Dan's "shitty cap off" proved to be a golden afternoon - Possibly Dan's masterwork of prostration for the cause. In Part 1 of the film, the "stooge" protagonists are often used and abuse by many attractive and talented females. Though the treatment is poor, the visuals may carry some erotic appeal for at least someone. The "shitty cap-offs" are meant to strip (pun?) the Part 1 scenes of any eroticism and leave only scatological humor and mystery.
This shoot was assisted by some heavy Baltimore talent, and yes they are attractive and talented. However, be assured eroticism was scaled. The Effervescent Collective's Lily Susskind, Virginia Warwick, Hanna Moccasin, Dan bro Pat Breen and Eric Franklin stepped up to the plate and knocked a few balls afoul of the conventional, dull or tranquil.
So the premise is that Dan's "stooge" enters Eric's world, a claustrophobic work pit, not unlike a burnt to crisp police detective surveillance nest.
Note Wollensak reel-to-reel. Keyboard art by Kate Porter.
Much of the film lightly deals with working "stiffs", though they're merely holograms or algorithms gone sentient, perhaps so by virtue of burden and tedium. Are the algorithms we rely upon to execute our tasking our slaves? Eric's character, much like all GASA objects, are quietly disgruntled, in the Thoreau sense.
Note the ciggy. Now i should tell you that we decided to SMOKE THE HELL out of Eric's house for the shoot. This shoot was so goddamn smoky. Thx to the ladies, Lily, Virginia and Hanna for putting up with all of the smoke. GOD, it was awful....yet beautiful. I personally smoked at least 5 cigarettes, which is five more than usual.Everyone was instructed to SMOKE.
Above- Virginia in front, followed by Hanna. These are the "dog owners". They push Eric to his edge, and force him to put his money where his theremin is - and he must gamble on what he knows to be an inferior specimen - Dan.A dog fight ensues, and, predictably, Dan loses. No amount of dog food can Popeye Dan into inspired victory. All the while Pat Breen plays ref in the closet, and even smoke ten cigs at once.
Above is Dan as dog.Below, Dan and his dominant foe, Lily, become "dogs".
Below, note the floor pad. This was meant as a "wrestling mat" for the dog fight. Note theremin. This is an important component of Eric's losing game.
Lastly, i need to discuss Dan's stellar turn on this date. My goodness, did he ever eat a lot of dog food! He also did a great deal to get the materials for the set together, as i was well tied up.
Best of all, he did his own stunts....that wasn't a joke in this blog description. Dan threw himself down the stairs several times, to get the perfect fall. He packed his GASA "reds" with pillows, laundry and what-have-you. It was marvellous!
Thx to all for the great shoot.
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