2012 Winner: The King of Cups
For the third consecutive year, a short script by yours truly has won at Rochester Movie Makers Script-A-Palooza. There were 9 screenplays read (performed!) that night by our troupe of talented actors. I was impressed with the continuing quality from our small community. The dramatic pieces were really strong, too, which doesn’t always come across since script readings generally favors comedy.
My piece, THE KING OF CUPS, is something I wrote in response to one of our RMM Writers Workshop challenges. I ignored my usual sense of practicality for this one and set it in New Orleans during a hurricane. Would I ever change it to, say, Rochester during a light drizzle? Eh, I don’t know. Without giving anything away, there are some plot elements that seem to fit New Orleans… After the reading, someone described it to me as being like a Twilight Zone episode, and I suppose he’s right.
For anyone who’d like to read it, I’ll share it online here. (Copyright 2012 Mike Boas.)
What’s been going on with Mike lately?
CSI: Mike. (Photo by Stephanie Viriyakul)
When last I blogged, I was pushing Mind Rip’s Kickstarter campaign. Well, that fundraising tactic fell short, but that doesn’t mean we’re not making the movie any way possible. We’re continuing to shoot the first half hour of the film (which are relatively low on special effects). Thanks to our leads, Joe Thompson and Kristen Royale, for shooting with us for a few nights in July. For more pics, friend the film at http://facebook.com/mindrip
Strange things happen in the desert.
Meanwhile, after a 6 day shoot in and around Death Valley, I’m now editing the feature film “3.14…” for writer/director/actor Greg Smith. This is an indie feature that looks at mathematical concepts and philosophy through dream logic. Oh, and there’s guys dressed in zebra striped lycra suits riding motorbikes. Friend the movie at http://www.facebook.com/pages/314-the-movie/142935755771042
Casa Phil-Mad
And this is a good time to mention our new base of operations for Philrose editing projects, which I’m dubbing the Phil-Mad offices. Because, you know, I’m there too. At last, John Vincent and I have enough space for computers AND noxious chemicals. (That’s office plus workshop space, folks.)
The Old Fish and the Sea
As long as I’m in recap mode, I’ll mention that I won the Rochester Movie Makers short script competition for the second straight year. My entry is the soul-searching tale of a young man and a talking trout. (Gulp! Now I have to consider shooting it.) Read “The Old Fish and the Sea” online here.
Paradigm, by Lesia Vincent, cover by Mike Boas.
Lesia Vincent’s first novel will be released soon, so here’s a sneak peek at the cover by yours truly. Paradigm’s story involves a woman connecting with her ancestors via Italian witchcraft. For the cover, I did an interpretation of John William Waterhouse’s painting, The Magic Circle. Watch this space for an announcement when the book goes on sale.
Ammo and Attitude
Ammo and Attitude is a reality show on the Versus network. Derrick Petrush (of Rochester Movie Makers) is editing the show and asked me to update the animated intro for the new season. The original intro was really well done, and it was a fairly straight forward job to go in and swap in this year’s contestants. Still, it involved a certain amount of rotoscoping and After Effects cleverness. Find out more about the show at ammoandattitude.com
Summer Filmmaking Camp for Rochester Youth
And finally (finally!) I should mention what a pleasure it was to co-teach a class on storyboarding to 36 young filmmakers at the 360 | 365 film camp. Fred Armstrong and I went in armed with dittos about camera shots and tons of samples. The kids were super creative and super appreciative. Their resulting short films will be going online soon at http://film360365.com/school
That’s all for now. Here’s where I should insert a witty comment about it better not be another four months before updating again, but… eh, I don’t feel like it.
It’s only been a short time since my last compilation post, and already I’ve got new projects to sum up.
UNMASKED
Mike Russo and I found ourselves making another 72 Hour film for the Mind 2 Movie Challenge. This year’s improv elements: a closet clown, a bunch of bills, and a hostage situation. We’ll be premiering the film (along with the 9 other contest entries) on Monday, March 7, at the Little Theatre.
ANIMATUS IN THE PAPER
The D&C did a great article on Fred Armstrong and Animatus Studio, featuring a few pictures of yours truly working on the latest Buju & Ziggie cartoon for Wegmans and Crustal Pix. Read it online, or see the scan from the paper (with additional pictures) by clicking here.
THE MITZVAH
I’m providing post production assistance to this short film from writer/director Rose Jurman. It’s a piece about doubt and regret, set during WWII.
ZOMBIE INTERVENTION
Franklin Kielar wrote and directed this horror/comedy. It’s essentially a silent short, in which I play an undead father figure confronting a young vegetarian zombie. It was a fun shoot, done in one morning (but with two cameras) back in the fall. Now it’s on YouTube, complete with outtakes.
It’s about time for a run-down of my current projects.
AIRPORT SHENANIGANS
To begin with, I’ve been fielding comments from family and friends who’ve seen my face on giant screens at the airport. No, it’s not security related, it’s a short movie called Virgin Fang written and directed by Mike Russo. (I play Draculess, the Woody Allen of vampires. ) It’s part of a media showcase put together by the Rochester/Finger Lakes Film and Video Office to showcase local productions.
ANIMATUS STUDIO
Over at Animatus, our big project in 2010 was dancing cats for Wegmans’ Buju & Ziggie cat food. More recently, Fred, Dave, and I worked with a group of Rochester teens to animate a music video about teen pregnancy and STD’s.
SECRET ANIMATED SHORT
I’m contributing animation, drawings, and random textures to a mixed media film that Frank Kielar is directing. I’d say more, but we’re keeping it quiet for now.
ROCHESTER MOVIEMAKERS WRITERS WORKSHOP
As a challenge to myself, I take part in the RMM Writers Workshop. I’ve written a few shorts in the past couple months, based on elements chosen at random. The “talking fish, lemon, argument in a laundromat” script was particularly fun.
MIND RIP
The Philrose horror feature Mind Rip is still cranking along. We held some auditions (more to come) for upcoming shoots. We’re also designing and making creatures, plus planning a Kickstarter campaign to raise some art department funds.
POPCORN
I’m contributing website stuff and moral support to the Bells On Productions DVD release of Popcorn. It’s a personal favorite of Kristy Jett, Horror Queen of the Internet and Fright Rags huckster. She’s tracking down video elements and producing a behind the scenes documentary.
MERRY-GO-ROUND / 3.14
Back in the fall, I crewed on this feature from writer/director Gregory Gotham Smith. (It was once called Merry-Go-Round, now the name is changing to 3.14.) Now I’m editing, assembling the footage before continuing with the second half of the shoot — a week in the California desert later this year.
360 | 365
And then I go home at night and watch short films, trying to decide what we’ll screen at the 360 | 365 George Eastman House Film Festival at the end of April.
THE INTERROGATION
When will I get the chance to do my own Lunchbox short? I’ll have to squeeze that shoot in soon, then get to work animating the monster character.
Is that all? Certainly it’s enough for now. Stay tuned for news of my impending bout with exhaustion.
I’m a pepper… but not for long. The Dr. Pepper lunchboxes I bought in bulk are metamorphosing into something much more sinister. (These boxes are being used as props in many of Rochester Movie Makers’ short films this summer.)
First, all the shiny metal parts are masked off with blue tape.
Then I break out the primer.
It takes a few days to apply coats of primer and spraypaint. I often get bubbles and drips of paint. If they’re really bad, I sand them down, but since these lunchboxes are meant to look old, I’m not troubled too much by a rough surface.
Next, my friend Frank prints my artwork on sticky vinyl and I apply it to the boxes.
A little acrylic paint is dry-brushed on for an antique effect, especially on the metal to make it look rusty.
Mad Monster is not the only design. Here’s a look at some artwork I did for the short “Boxed In,” which has a sci-fi/magical plot. The first piece is a space image crossed with some atomic imagery, combining the macro and micro worlds.
The next two are Nalli and Hitchcock, two “Boxed In” characters in cartoon form.
The film “Lunchbreak” requires a Bride of Mad Monster box. After sketching a feminine version of the loveable green guy, I inked and scanned her to Photoshop. I’m now halfway through coloring — no texture or shading yet.
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