What Can I Tell You?

You poor readers have listened to me bitch and whine about the endless writing process, and now that we're entering the casting phase, Jim n' I have been asked to please keep the details to ourselves. Sigh.

Fair enough. I can totally appreciate that. Because let's say I tell you, and then you tell someone, and then that someone has a popular blog where they might share all this gossip about actors filming in the Okanagan this fall -- gawd knows why some third party would bother blogging about it.... But for argument sake, let's pretend they do -- well, then the word gets out, and I guess that just wouldn't be good. Especially if we don't get the actors we plan on going after.

What I can share is that this has been an extraordinarily exciting week. We've both been finding it hard to fall asleep at night. We are making a movie! Never in a million years would I ever have imagined those words coming from my mouth.

Jim n' I have been given a critical path for the next few months, which will be updated accordingly every 10 days. Our current projection is to begin shooting on September 13. (A day after our two year anniversary. Happy anniversary to us!) Of course, that will obviously evolve depending on how timelines get shuffled around.

Our current course of action is to attach an actor. Right now there is a plan A and a plan B. Plan A involves attaching our Donovan before May 29th. Plan B involves attaching a Canadian actress as our Sarah before that same date. It all depends on how the financing pans out, and who we feel Canadian distributers will be more attracted by. Jim n' I have been asked to give our two cents on who we'd like to cast in both of those roles, with additional input provided by les producers.

While I can't disclose anything yet (dammit!), I have to tell you that I'm completely giddy about our choice for Sarah. She is someone that both Jim n' I absolutely love, and while our decision initially surprised our producers, they agreed that she'd make a great fit.

Dammit. Dammit. I wish I could tell you all more. :(

But if wishes come true and we get her on board, then you'll all find out eventually. So promise that you'll send some good energy our way that we get our number one pick, okay? ;)

That being said, our number two pick for Sarah is pretty cool as well. But number one is just sooo perfect.

Argh. This censored post is totally killing me...

Anyhow, that's what's new. I really wish I could say more. Hopefully within the next few weeks I'll have something more exciting to announce.

Speaking of which, because we're hoping to attach someone so soon, this means that within the next month Director Jim will be probably be flying out to meet some of these personalities. What a thrill for him, huh?! He keeps saying he'd like to bring me along, but I really don't feel it's my place. I'll meet whoever we end up with eventually. But for now, my job here is done.

In the meantime, I'm going to continue focusing on my art. Previously I had been feeling that I'm not being productive lately, just painting and working on my collage. I felt like I should be doing something constructive work-wise. However, after lunch yesterday, I have to thank Jeremy for putting it in perspective for me. He said that my art should be treated as my work now. Even if I don't ever receive payment for it, if it's something that I feel I need to do, then I should do it. That simple statement really lifted the feeling of guilt off my shoulders that I'm wasting my time cutting up Entertainment Weekly's.

As I may have mentioned before, my dream job as a kid was to be an artist/writer who travels the world and lives on an island. It's not exactly a realistic job, but I think at this moment in time, I'm closer to achieving it then I've ever been. So why shouldn't I treat my art as real work.... Who knows where it'll take me?

On that note, my Opus newsletter today mentioned that Calona Vineyards is looking for submissions for their next Artist Series wine bottle labels. I've always liked the funky Calona Vineyards Artist Series labels, but didn't know where they found their art. So, just for the helluvit, I'm gonna submit a few pieces. The competition deadline is May 10th, so I'm planning on painting another picture between now and then to submit. It's a take on my original "Kelowna" painting I did a few years ago, (but didn't show you because it sucked). It'll be much smaller, (and therefore quick to paint), and instead of ruining it with a stupid willow tree, I plan to include a couple ponderosa pines in the foreground.

Up to ten pieces can be submitted per artist. It can be realistic or abstract, and must reflect the spirit and creativity of British Columbia. I don't know if any of my other pieces really exemplify that creative spirit, but I'm gonna try to enter a couple of them anyway. I'm sure I can make up some flowery b.s. to shoehorn them into the agenda. Just kidding.... I think whether or not they fit will be for the judges to decide.

I don't know how many winners there are (a few by the sounds of it), but the artists chosen will have their paintings printed on the front labels and their bio and photo on the back. They will also each receive $1,000 and the first 12 bottles of the 2005 Artist Series vintage, autographed by the winemaker.

So yeah... why not enter a couple paintings, right?

Which is what I should probably be doing right now!