On Location for Coyote Girl: Friday 01.09.15

January has been an amazing month for Outcast Café! We have spent the past two and a half weeks officially entering the production phase of making our second short film, Coyote Girl, the poetic version of the 90 minute play script Riley Ann Visits the Outcast Cafe. After spending about two weeks on location in Westfield, Illinois the team has dispersed and continues to work on post-production for the film as well as upcoming projects for the company. Here is the next installment of our adventures on location from the perspective of company member Gail Shalan (Riley Ann, Coyote:

Friday 01.09.15

10:04 a.m.- Today has been scheduled for the crew to get some other work done. Our Gaffer, Josh Schneiderman, arrives in addition to the gigantic semi filled with equipment from Hammer Lighting & Grip in Indianapolis. This means that bright and early in the morning, Terry and Rick hit the road with our hero, David, to pick up the truck. Biggs and I have our own rehearsal and check in. It’s been a lot of hubbub around what is usually a quiet and intimate acting process for the two of us. There’s a lot to discuss. We make sure we’re on the same page as actors and actor/director in regards to the story, arc, timeline, and each little moment we might see on film. We prepare the best we know how, and acknowledge that there’s also an element of trust and confidence in this process for which we cannot rehearse or prepare, but simply embrace.

1:33 p.m.- Biggs is not only an incredibly sensitive and articulate poet in his artistry, but also a strong and gentle mentor for my own work. I feel empowered and well taken care of. The space in my heart and soul, and the quiet in my mind, that this process allows has stirred up some pretty disturbing nightmares (of course, involving Coyotes) but I’m surprised by my lack of desire to wake myself up from them. I want to play within them. There is a sense of artistic freedom and curiosity in these dreams. I think of my late professor from Boston University, the genius Jon Lipsky, and his work connecting acting and our dreams. I head back to David and Terri’s to do some reading, reminiscing and processing. It’s a day of digesting.

2:45 p.m.- I take a quick road trip to Charleston to get some moisturizer for my face. This cold weather and the make-up that I don’t normally wear is taking it’s toll. Gotta get this face camera ready.

4:50 p.m.- Time for a little yoga before I cook my own dinner for one. A bit of quiet before the storm of shooting begins.

 

 

A helpful quote from Jon Lipksy's Dreaming Together.
A helpful quote from Jon Lipksy’s Dreaming Together.
Coyotes running around in my dreams.
Coyotes running around in my dreams.
My mentor and I in performance. A sneak-peek still from COYOTE GIRL (!!)
My mentor and I in performance. A sneak-peek still from COYOTE GIRL (!!)

Leave a Reply