Hooray!..... I met some really nice people on a shoot 2 weeks ago..... So it shows that there are some Cool people out here on the east coast after all!
I got booked as a cameraman to work on this directors short film. The Directors name is Jonathan Millet and he is a very nice guy. He came up with this cool short story idea about a guy going to work & finding these boots that transported him into another dimension & time right into the middle of a war!
The whole short was done without any dialogue or any lighting.... We just shot with available light on my digital camera (Sony HVR-V1U)... & I think it came out great. Jonathan hired a DP named John who helped out on the first location of the day, (an office building) and also hired a really nice girl by the name of Crystal Perry that did, Make-up, Wardrobe & PA work.
The two actors Jonathan picked out were really fun to work with & seemed to really give it there all in their performances & we breezed through the entire shoot with no real snags at all. The actors names are Joe Gaudet & Olivia Hickey (all members of the Beanywood community)... They both played the roles of the Office workers.
Jonathan did a great job scouting the two locations. We arrived at the first location (the office building) at 7 AM on a beautiful & quiet Sunday morning only to find out that we were soon surrounded by hundreds of people going to run in a boston marathon!
It took us a little while to realize that we just had to work around all these people who kept getting in the shot. And poor Crystal had no idea that her day would start out with her having to redirect several hundred people trying to get in our way.
but Jonathan got his momentum up & we shot around the havoc of literally hundreds of Unexpected intruders walking by, driving by, walking up to the front door and asking us for directions on were to sign up for the marathon..... It just goes to show you that you can never tell what's going to happen on any given shoot at any time & you just have to keep on shooting & work with what you have.
Olivia Hickey played the role of another office worker coming to work & she looked the part of a young professional business women. (Only later on did I find out that she was only 15 yrs. old!... So she can certainly play a wide age range for any production). Olivia took direction from Jonathan real well & hit her marks & was very nice to work with. A very nice girl with a great enthusiasm for acting & it showed in her performances.
The second location was in Methuen, Mass. Some nice wooded, secluded area that Jonathan picked out for a good jungle scene. Our actor Joe, got all decked out in army gear (including fake weapons, that looked pretty real), while Multi-tasking Crystal put on some War paint make up to get Joe ready for the Jungle scenes.
Joe was great, take after take, keeping up his energy & acting the part, while running around in all that heavy wardrobe.... He never complained once, he actually said he really enjoyed his role & was looking forward to seeing the finished cut of this Short by Jonathan & didn't mind running around for a couple hours because this was such a cool idea to work on.
We ended the day with no mishaps.... Well, only one: (I fell down once while running in the woods for a POV shot... Thankfully my many years of training made sure that only "I" hit the ground hard... MY camera was perfectly shielded by my body that took the fall hard).
Everyone involved had a good time I believe & it gave me a renewed faith in the New England film community..... It was so great working with just a small cast & crew... No Ego's... NO Attitudes..... Just dedicated, talented & happy people. Jonathan said that we got everything he hoped for & then some...
A day well done. We accomplished what the director set out to do in telling his story... We did it on schedule... On budget... And WE EVEN GOT PAID!!!!!!!!!!
I'm looking forward to seeing the finished short once Jonathan is done editing. Thanks again guys & girls for making me realize that there are some really cool people out here on the east coast that are making films.
I hope to meet & work with many more of you out here.
Thanx's
Craig Amabello.... Cinematographer.... X-Hollywood Reject... and happy guy!
I saw a final cut of THE GATEWAY MEAT, filmed in Massachusetts. I appear in the film, I get brutally murdered and got to write my own death scene. Unfortunately my face is bound up with duct tape and we shot for 8 or 10 hours and I couldn't see and was covered in cold fake blood all day. The DVD will be out soon. The film is AMAZING- oh my god- so gory! I was only in a small part and did not see the script so knew nothing about the plot of the film or anything about it except my scenes.
Also out soon on DVD:
Countess Bathoria's Graveyard Picture Show, which debuted at the Fantasia Film Fest, and which I co-wrote.
I am writing for The Independent Magazine website and will be interviewing Jeremy Kasten, director of the upcoming remake of The Wizard of Gore.
I have an interview in the next Girls and Corpses magazine with Erik Ruhling, author of Infernal Device, an illustrated book of torture devices.
Although I put it aside months and months ago it looks like my script A Fistful of Anger may be optioned.
Hello folks, Craig Amabello here... Your Truly Demented reporter & X-Hollywood reject blogging in from the Battlefield.
One day I can't get a crack head to spit on me..... & the next, I'm wheeling & dealing with presidential candidates...... Funny how surreal life can be.
Things are just starting to look up for me after so many years of heart break, disaster, ruination & turmoil. When you witness your dreams shattering right before your very eyes... It can be quite hard on the Soul... But the few... The Brave, must plod on... Can not abandon the Sinking ship.
I have had no other choice but to keep pushing on until I've reached the very edge of reason & as Insanity swirls around my head like a truck full of Drunken soldiers on a weekend pass.... Sometimes the Sh*t, really hits the fan!
I am far more than just some Cameraman, Editor, Director.... I have spent so much time in the trenches of Hollywood, that I sometimes forget all that I have learned there.
I have actually put together a nice 90 second Web spot for a presidential candidate that really had no plans... No ideas... No clue as to how to get his message across to the people. And I, helped him pull a rabbit out of his Arse!
What I do for DIRT CHEAP.... Big Advertising agencies get tens of thousands of dollars for. I really have to rethink my title. I am far more than just some dummy with a camera & decades of knowledge. I am a bona fide creator of Propaganda. A manipulator of reality... An Alchemist... A Wizard!
I know how to take a Non event & swirl it up with my magic swizzle stick & turn it into a decent & compelling ad campaign to help launch a mans bid for the president of the Untied States!
Yes, I know.... I sound like an ass & I am completely full of myself... But damn it.... ITS TRUE!
I am getting my confidence back & it shows.... I had a PR guy talking to me yesterday that wants me to work on his full length documentary. I said with absolute confidence.... "No problem, I excel at documentary work".
A few hours ago I received an email from an ER doctor that said that he was very pleased with my shooting on his documentary about life as a doctor. He plans to use me for several more days work before he wraps up shooting & begins editing.
And I have 11 Rock & Roll bands that I have to shoot this Sunday at an all day concert in Mansfield mass known as Locobazooka where Black Sabbath is the headlining act along with Alice Cooper. (my real goal is to get several interviews with Ronnie James Dio & Alice Cooper that I can feature on craigstv).
I am a very diversified camper this week... I love it! So nice to work with such diverse people which helps keep me grounded & very well rounded in my philosophy on dealing with Humans here on planet earth.
Nobody is really all that much different than anybody else... & living this kind of life keeps me on my toes & constantly reminds me of this simple... Yet so often, overlooked fact of life.
The presidential candidate, the Doctor, The Rock & rollers... are all just people who need a little help with their vision. A little outside opinion that gives them that extra edge that they may need to make a success of something. And I am the man to do just that!
Craig Amabello.... The maker of Presidential candidates!.... So damn funny.... I guess you just had to be there.
Hope all you fine Boston folks are having fun... Living life... Enjoying Your Reality.
I know I am for a change.
Hang in there people.... Be kind to your fellow confused humans... & remember,
When the door of life slams shut in your face...... Take that Bazooka outta your pocket & just Blow a hole right through the door & march on in & demand some Respect!
Rock On Keith Richards.
From you very own, Truly Twisted & Demented Reporter of Life & X-Hollywood Reject, Craig Amabello
I am not a fancy man.... I did not go to any fancy college.... I am self Taught.... I used to get jobs by word of mouth in Hollywood..... Out here in Boston, I do not know anybody.... So I have been searching for professional production work for several years out here with absolutely no luck at all!
The only way I know how to get work from new clients out here is to send them my resume.
When I do......... I NEVER HEAR BACK FROM ANYONE!
Can anybody out there give me a clue as to what I am doing wrong?
This is a Typical example of what kind of responses I get when I send out my resume to people. Most people never even have the common courtesy to even bother to email me back. But the few that do, ALL seem to have a tendency to be QUESTIONING the validity of my Resume.
POTENTIAL EMPLOYER MR X RESPONSE:
On Sep 4, 2007, at 10:42 PM, MR X wrote: It's a nice resume but I couldn't find anything about you or Prey of innocence under michael deluise.
MY RESPONSE:
Look Dude.... What the hell do you expect to find?
I met Michael Deluise while working on Waynes World. We spent a day working together & he got to know me. He liked me, told me he had just shot this little film that he was working on & needed it edited. So 3 weeks later, after Waynes world was wrapped, Michael & I spent 3 days editing his film. At the time I was doing all my editing in my shitty lil apartment in the Valley.
Editing is intense... Editing under a 3 day deadline is EXTREMELY INTENSE. Michael had already pre-booked a theatre in Burbank to showcase his new film & we had to finish this so that it could be brought to the lab to be blown up to 16 mm film for projection.
We spent those difficult 3 days, Rolling on the floor laughing... Yelling... Arguing.... Laughing some more... crying, (from laughing so hard) & then we finally finished the edit. It came out pretty good. He liked it. I was happy with it.
I don't recall if I even put my name on the film as editor. Many projects that I worked on never had my name attached. All I wanted was to be paid & that, was that. I didn't care about stupid credits then, (I do now). Money was all I wanted. I was never expecting to be famous from working on other peoples projects, so payment of services was all I ever cared about. (besides, delivering a good product).
Michael screened his movie 1 week later to a decent crowd & it was well received. I never went to the premiere, (because that's not the kind of guy that I am). Like I told Angela Bowie a few months later.... "I don't do parties or premieres". I am just weird like that. Screw name recognition, I just wanted money. (Now I do want recognition & MONEY...... Funny how things change with time).
Maybe Michael changed the name of the film. I don't know. Actually, I don't even remember now what the damn film was about.
Do I have any proof of actual, tangible, photographic or Video evidence of this encounter with Michael Deluise, or my editing work on his film?........................................................................................................................................... NO
Do you think I had a Freakin Biographer following me around & documenting any of this?...................... NO
Was it an academy award nominated film? ......................................................................................................... NO
Did it pick up a golden globe? ................................................................................................................................ NO
was it on tv & recieved 5 Emmy's? ......................................................................................................................... NO
Was it a nice little short film that Michael & his Brother enjoyed making & then hired me to edit?............ YES!
WHAT THE HELL WHERE YOU EXPECTING TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS MOVIE?????
THAT MY NAME WAS ON THE CREDITS?
AS FAR AS MYSELF IS CONCERNED.....
AT THIS POINT IN TIME........ I'M A GOD DAMN NOBODY.........
WHAT WHERE YOU LOOKING TO "FIND OUT" ABOUT ME?????????
I never claim or claimed that I am anything other than what I am....
A talented professional with a life time in Show business. Which also includes, 25 years experience in the craft of Video Production. I am also a Long time veteran of working & living in Hollywood California, Where I did all kinds of Freelance gigs, for all kinds of Crazy people.
I have just not "Made It" as of yet. It doesn't mean that I am a Lier. My resume has nothing but Low level gigs, that paid crap. But this resume seems to antagonize, agitate & aggravate more people than not!
I have sent my resume out to over 1,500 people in the last several years & I have gotten absolutely ZERO Work from it!
In fact.... I almost never even get a REPLY BACK.
I send my resume out to people in the Boston area that are looking for professionals.
I almost never send my resume out Unsolicited.
These are people with online ads that are specifically looking for professionals.....
