Life of Kyle Prohaska

I spent most of the day working away on the film, our website, some emails, and other various things.  As I write this a new copy of Standing Firm is rendering and I’ll burn a few copies to send out.  Two of to them to two places that have the film already (they have Cut #3, Cut #4 is this one and far superior), and another to someone who doesn’t yet.  Vague you say?  Sorry  Confidentiality’s a pain isn’t it?  Ah well, either way I can tell you that it feels good to have Standing Firm in the hands of the major faith-based distributors.  There aren’t many, so the fact I’m able to send it out and know that it’ll get to the proper people is one heck of an accomplishment for our film.  Still praying on distribution and for wisdom that whoever we go with, that we know that it’s the one God wants…and nobody else.

We have people in Africa, Europe, and even Malaysia who’re asking if the movie will be within their reach.  That’s pretty mind blowing to me, and shows me that with the proper elbow grease, many more could find out about this movie and be touched by it.  I’m really just praying that God takes it all over the place, to every corner of the globe  Why not?  Psalms 115:3 - “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” Hopefully one of the ideas I have for marketing the film will be utilized because not only will it help us spread the word about our film, but everyone who hears about the film (well before we even release the film too) will be able to use it as a resource and a way to work through their suffering and pain (and help others as well).  Here’s hoping God takes Standing Firm and milks it for everything it’s spiritually worth!

I updated our home page today for the movie.  I really like the other way it looked, because it felt a bit more like a bigger movie’s site.  But our film isn’t a big movie, and I need to have useful content readily available as soon as folks visit the site.  I like how it looks now, but the bugs to get it working were a pain!  No matter, it’s all functional and ready to go  Tell me what you think.

I worked on some ADR today too before I hit the render button for the new copies.  The scenes that employ the ADR I think will be tough to spot.  Right now the ADR is only synced and has basic BG noise under it.  None of it has been mixed to sound more legitimate, but that’s ok.  That time will come, for now we need a workable copy of the film that can be enjoyed.  Still edits to be fixed and such but Cut #4 is definitely the best shape the films been in since we started.  I would say we’re close to locking half the film.  I just haven’t gone through and given everything a check mark.  The last thirty minutes are in excellent shape and will probably be locked first, as well as the first 5 minutes, which has been pretty much locked for months.  We’ll see where all this hard work takes us!

I lost the bid for the larger website job this morning but that’s ok.  About an hour later I got a random phone call from a guy who wanted some advice and turns out he was looking for a site for their film to help raise money and generate awareness.  So hopefully all that can be worked out and I can get that job done.  I also landed (I hope) another job later in the day that’s been sitting for a while.  I’ve been waiting on some answers and today I got’m.  I should find out tomorrow if it’s going to be me or not.  Either way both of these jobs should give me another 2.5 months on top of what’s already in the bank which is about a month worth of bills and expenses.  That’s how it works…you get one job and then another then another and slowly coast.  I think I’ll have to do that for a while.  Maybe that’s why none of the larger jobs worked out?  Perhaps I’ll need the time in-between to get this film completed for whatever distribution we get?  Deliverables are going to be a nightmare as it is, so having the time to do it is a Blessing!

That’s it for now…g’night folks. (it’s 30 degrees outsie also…BRRRR!)

Jeremiah 32:27 - “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for me?”

There wasn’t much to report today, until a movie.  For those that know me, they know movies changed my life and continue to do so.  Art overall seems hardwired into my skull, like a curse I can’t shake.  I say a curse because at times I get taken away with it, to an unhealthy level.  I did it during Standing Firm, in the first few months of filming.  I let my passion for the best overtake my sleeping habits, eating habits, etc.  I became much heavier than I am now, highly stressed, completely fried in every way.  I won’t do that again, that’s for sure.  Today I got a small taste of what my favorite films of the past had given me, bliss.  All of my favorite films either during the entire thing or in many specific moments gave me a sense of wonder I can’t explain.  That is the reason I watch them again, to revisit that wonder.  You know a film is good when it sucks you in completely.  You’re 100% focused on it, every frame is recorded and every sound rings in your ears.  Most of the time it’s not just because it’s a brilliantly crafted sequence, but because it holds a specific relatable circumstance that mirrors one of your own.  I saw American Beauty today, for the very first time.  It was awful and somehow great, dirty and clean, beautiful and at the same time disgusting.  One moment in particular amazed me because it fit where my life currently is and fleshed out how I feel.  Give it a look:

If you don’t find that speech amazing, there is something wrong with you.  I’m that bag, and at the same time I’m the boy filming it.  Of course that “force” he speaks of is God and the wind pushing me is his Will.  We’re all plastic bags out in the open being thrown about by God’s Will, or in this case…wind.  If a filmmaker wants to know what great storytelling is, they need to look at films like this.  Not because they are dirty, immoral in almost every way possible, but because the rights within the wrongs and the do’s in-between the don’ts hold the key to what a film really needs to have to be great.  For instance, in American Beauty…it’s full of nothing but fornication, wrong behavior, evil people, where 99% of the film shows all these things to be right and honorable.  The average Christian would simply turn a film like this off (and granted it’s no kids film) instead of letting the real purpose of the film reveal itself to them.  If you reached the end of the film you would see in the last 1% that none of these actions in the end were shown to do anything good for the characters, but instead destroyed everything for them.  It’s funny to see Biblical principles about sin expressed in a secular film.  The twists within the story were excellent, the performances memorable and the lessons profound and life changing.

I worked on the edit today and nailed down one more question mark scene…the scene in the church.  It needed much less than I thought to work well, just some attention that’s all.  I’ve basically been working from the outsides in as I’ve tweaked the edit.  The last 30 minutes of the film is in excellent shape and is by far the strongest of the film.  That makes me feel great because I know that it will end with a bang.  The first 30 minutes is strong as well, and the film opens with a visually stimulating sequence that I’m most proud of.  I think the opening and the ending are the greatest examples of what I could in the future if I had a bigger budget, and less jobs on set to do.  I’m really excited to see what God throws me to work on in the future.  That leaves 30 minutes in the center to be worked on in the next week.  A lot of it is pretty well off but the very center of the film is where the most work is needed.  It includes many scene changes, flashbacks, and some extremely important emotional moments of the film.  If the middle doesn’t work, then the opening and beginning don’t mean much.  Here’s hoping that everything falls into place.  There are two voice overs missing from the film that will need to be recorded as well as a few shots to get.  I won’t reveal what they are but they don’t involve any people, just objects.  A small addition will be added to the climax of the film, possibly the last shot of the film…to make it twice as good as it is now.  We’ll see how it works, and if it doesn’t we’ll keep the original ending which is great to begin with.

That’s about all I have to say on my day.  Lots coming down the pike in the next few months, God has been Gracious.

I sat in church today in the back, after greeting with a lot of people.  Something I have noticed since I got back from California…I’m so much happier.  Not because of where I am, but because of who I am.  It’s incredible what one month can do to an individual.  I’m a lot more outgoing than I ever have been before.  I’m smiling a lot more, and so many other things.  Neil Neumann spoke today instead of Pastor Billy who is on vacation.  There I sat in my seat listening to this guy preach, a man I’ve known since birth just like many others in our congregation.  I’ve said it before, but NFBC is my family.  I got pretty teary during Neil’s sermon just looking at him up there giving the Truth loud and hard.  I had so much admiration for him while he was up there.  I’ve been feeling it since I got home, how much I love this place and how much I love my friends/family.  They all mean the world to me, every single one.  Pastor, Rich, Neil, Mark (and the rest of the Neumanns), The Ortmans, Brad & Jen, The Larsons, Gary, Cooper (whether he’s here or not), and everyone else that knows me at the church and has for many years.  I don’t know if I could ever leave here for good, it would be very hard.  I mean seriously who says I have to be somewhere else to make movies?  This is a movie depraved community…and state for that matter.  Besides New York City nobody really comes to shoot here.  Free game in my opinion, mine for the taking if it be God’s Will.  Whatever he wants, I’m His.

Kevin came over today and we spoke about the possible future of the film, what we need to do in the next few months, etc.  There is a lot to do in a short amount of time with a lot of unknowns that God is going to have to take care of, and he’s pretty good at doing that.  We trust Him to take care of the things we can’t do ourselves.  Not that we can really truly do anything without his help, but you catch my point.  This is all God now, besides what I’m able to do with the edit and a basic sound mix, it’s up to God to do something big to help us complete this film.  We’ve known this for a long time.  That includes a budget for a score, something we don’t have money for right now.  God has control…always does, always did.

When it comes to doing my part on the film, about half the film is in great shape, and the rest is in good shape, with only one scene left that needs some serious attention.  I get closer and closer everyday to getting this film where I want it, and I couldn’t be happier.

I read the first 40 pages of The Grace Card today and I have to say I’m extremely excited.  I like the characters, I like the story, I like the situations within the first 30 minutes or so of the film, and some of the differences I see in the script that are missing from most Christian films.  We’re on the right track to creating something great, I can feel it.  As much as I’ve talked about it, I don’t think it’s hit me yet what I’m really about to do.  I’m about to head to Memphis in a month and a half to help produce a film of a pretty big budget compared to Standing Firm (which is my first film and that makes this opportunity even more incredible) and add a potentially great film onto my “resume.”  That’s a pretty exciting time for someone who is 21.  Thank you God for this Blessing.  Why He is using me, I don’t know…I’m just along for the ride.

Tomorrow I’ll just continue working on the edit and start working on some of the scenes remaining.  Besides the edits I’ve been laying in ADR and doing some basic mixing for the film.  I’m also laying in temporary music for every scene I think needs it, giving the film a life it didn’t have before.  A scene I added a song into today instantly became 200% better with the music added, as the entire scene was basically visual with a voice over.  It’s great to see some of the scenes I had worried about work so well, thank you Jesus.

Things are going well, I’m just taking it one day at a time.

Today was my first day of work, and by that I mean work at home.  I’ve done work at home in the past, thousands of hours worth on top of whatever job I have.  This was the first time I was doing that, and only that.  I got up at like 1pm to the sound of someone coming up the stairs.  I heard a faint hello and it wasn’t anyone I could recognize.  Then I heard “It’s grandma.”  One eye open (barely) she came into the room and kissed me on the forehead, lol.  They had to come into town for something (something regarding her car needing fixing, I’m not sure why they live a half hour away at least), and saw my car in the drive way.  For those of you wondering “Isn’t your grandmother gone?,” I would say yes but not this one.  This is my Dad’s mom I’m talking about.  My mothers mom Betty passed away last year and her dad passed away years ago before I was born.  My dads parents are the only grandparents I have left, and they’re hysterical.  One thing that is never void in any family get together is laughter.  We keep each other in stitches with our bickering and jabs at each other.  My parents are probably laughing as they read this (I can imagine you two down there in Georgia, haha).  Grandma Lively (that’s Betty and my moms maiden name) was really funny as she forgot things often and knew it…so she’d just be like “ah crap I forgot again, come on,” and we’d just chuckle.  What a pistol that woman was, my goodness.  The kind of lady back in the day that had any misbehaving wippersnapper standing up straight at attention when she walked by because she’d have no problem giving them an earful and a smack upside the head if they were doing something naughty, ha-ha.

After I got up I had a muffin that I purchased at Tops the previous day.  It was so good, you have no idea.  I haven’t had much variety in my breakfast since I moved to LA.  It’s been Slimfast and cereal.  I don’t think I have had chocolate either in a long time so since it was a chocolate chip muffin…I was in heaven.  I got to work on a few things that needed to be done on Facebook, here on LifeofKyle.com, and emails.  I emailed a lot of people today about crew positions for The Grace Card.  We’re keeping all options open when it comes to people, just in case.  Things are going to move quickly in the next month, so we need to make any potential actors/crew aware now just in case we need to call them later.  I added a new Category to this website today, it’s called This & That.  That will be a place I post things of a more miscellaneous nature.  Cool videos from the internet, pictures, odd news articles that don’t relate to this site or to the typical news section, and much more.  I hope to really make this site something fun to visit everyday with what’s posted, not just a personal journal.  To me that would be far too boring to generate any kind of decent traffic.  Plus if people like to read what I write, then I need to start writing a lot more and in different forms to grab people outside my own little sphere of influence.  Hopefully in a years time or so this site becomes something well known…who knows.

Besides this site I finished updating KyleProhaska.com, my personal portfolio site and got it looking a bit nicer.  All of my content will have a similar design/color scheme to it.  I think it really works well that picture of me and the black/white/blue.  I really needed to update the site anyways because I might need the freelance really soon.  Besides web updates I went to the bank today to deposit what cash was left from LA.  I had taken quite a bit with me just in case I needed it.  I had $100 bucks left, and a $20 check from a card (thanks Larsons!).  The $100 bucks was from Jeremy back in LA.  If you remember reading it, he gave it to me as a donation out the goodness of his heart…really astonishing to me.  After I send July’s rent check tomorrow and that’s taken out of my account I’ll have about $800, then adding in my last paycheck from work that’ll bring me to $1800 bucks.  It costs about $750 for me to live each month on basic bills and food, so you can see how close I am to $0 after the next two months are over.  I’m sure that few hundred left after bills will end up going towards something…an oil change comes to mind.  That job in Memphis should take care of me for a little while…even though it’s only a few month job.  That job really excites me, simply because of how much larger in scope it is than my film, and the potential it has based on the resources available.

Randy & Lori

The rest of the day had me just working on whatever other web stuff I had, and editing Standing Firm.  I worked on audio a little bit today as well, finally starting to mix the first scenes with ADR and foley.  The film only has a few problem scenes that I’m going to have to work on intensely in regards to the edit.  They are question marks for me, since I’m not exactly sure how they have to go together.  The content is there but making sense of it will be an interesting process.  That’s why editing is such a difficult skill to learn, because it’s not just cut, paste, move this shot here, etc…it’s making sense of all the footage shot into one congruent story that has a pace and a flow that can satisfy the audience and keep them engaged.

I found out today that one of my best friends Randy Moore is engaged!  He proposed to his girlfriend Lori (also his moms name which I found funny) on the 4th of July at a family party.  I haven’t seen Randy in a few years but he’ll always be my best friend.  I know everyone has one of those somewhere in their life.  You see each other for the first time in years and pick up right where you left off, as if no time has passed.  That’s me and Randy, and we even used to joke as kids that we should’ve been brothers, hah.  Congratulations dude!

So tomorrow it’ll be pretty much the same kind of day.  A little web, a little blogging, a little editing and sound mixing…you know the usual (or what will become the usual).

Thanks to all of you for keeping up with this site!  Try and share it around as much as you can with your friends/family, let’s see if we can’t make it a cool place to be huh?  They’ll be a lot more posted as time goes on so keep an eye out.  More interviews, more reviews, more articles, more other odd fun junk, etc.

G’night folks, I have more editing to do.

It seemed all the music I played at my office today resonated with my thoughts/circumstances.  Every oldie had all these words in it that were describing me, it was weird.  I started my day off just like a normal one, but towards mid-day I had a lot on my mind.  Lots has been rolling around in my head in the past week, and it started to get a little heavy.  I’ve been feeling a mix of sadness, regret, worry, happiness and excitement, uncertainty, etc. all at the same time.  It’s a ridiculous mix of crap to have on your brain and I was freaking out.  All this crap like “was this a mistake,” “what am I going to do?,” “can I afford to leave?,” etc.  I had to make a phone call to David Evans and talk to him about the Memphis thing.  Case and point and you can put it on the record, it looks like it’s going to happen.  The ball is rolling now on getting that finalized and squared away.  The opportunity in Memphis is a job on a film called The Grace Card, which has been renamed from the original title The Life Giver.  You might recognize the name as I have been working on concept designs, posters, the older website (now being redone), etc. for a little while now.  David and I have been on the phone for a few months with me just lending him my two cents on some issues, what I would pay attention to and keep track of if he was going to make a film, etc.  It’s been a great working relationship already, and we’ve never even met.

As I thought about what I would do after my internship at PureFlix (for those of you who didn’t know, I’m not an employee yet…only on a 3 month tryout), I had already made the decision in my mind that I wasn’t going to stay.  Problem was there was nothing to go to, no way to pay my bills, etc.  I’ve never in my life gone out into complete financial uncertainty, it’s just not in my nature.  I’m just like my parents when it comes to finances (amongst other things but definitely with money).  Make sure you save, make sure you have a plan and a budget, be weary what you buy and make it last, be a good steward, etc.  All those things roll around in my head often so when it comes time to do something that’s going to put that in jeopardy I freak a little.  That was until I was on the phone with David talking about their current status and DING…a lightbulb.  If I’m not staying here, then does he need help?  It took another 10 minutes for us to realize we could easily work together if the details could be worked out.  The script is close to its completion (in a revision stage at the moment by a screenwriter in Nashville…he co-wrote Space Cowboys with Clint Eastwood & Tommy Lee Jones) and the opportunity and timeline fit like a glove.  It seemed like AD would be a good position to fill as David needs the on-set workflow to move efficiently and it’s not something one man can do.  This film will fill the major positions with pros from camera, sound, and the in-between so having David doing too much on his own isn’t a good move.  Besides AD it looks like I’ll hopefully help Produce the film as a whole, and getting there early is important regardless of that.  The way it looks right now, I’ll hopefully be arriving in September and staying for the duration of that month, October, and into November until shootings completion.  It’ll take that first month to review the prep and get everything wrapped up and finalized so we’re ready to go.  A large task at best, and for someone who is 21 it’s quite the load.  I’m extremely excited to do it however, and look at it as a chance of a lifetime.  After that I’m not sure what I’ll do, I’m basically unemployed unless a new opportunity arises.  I have this funny feeling that something else will birth from this, I can’t tell you why I feel that way I just do.

The other pressing matter I had was my film…Standing Firm.  Ever since I got here I haven’t barely done a thing to it I feel.  That is what really got me upset earlier today.  As I ended my conversation with David I started to break a little and after I hung up I broke.  I’m not 100% sure why but I know that in the past making this film if I ever felt like I was slipping in my responsibility to it I got on my face immediately to pray.  It was a condition I set before I moved.  Nothing changes, the film gets worked on, we move forward, etc.  I know I have as much time as I need to finish and people are supportive but only I know what kind of time I’ve put in…and I felt I was lazy.  If you don’t already know, I’m a passionate guy.  I get loud, excited, and emotional like a maniac when something is in my sights that I feel called to go for.  There’s no stopping me, not in a million years.  With all the miracles of the last year and all the confirmations that this film was to be something special, it really make me sick to think I had betrayed that responsibility.  I really felt like (and had thought about it earlier in the week) that if I was going to leave CA it probably wasn’t a good thing to go directly to TN.  I think I need a time to go home and get myself together before going into such a big task, and I have a film to finish besides that.  I’ve always wanted since we started writing the thing in 2007 to have a large chunk of time to just work on the film.  No more working two jobs, just burning all my energy on this thing and really making progress.  It’s been an uphill battle since day 1 with either a job in ministry or extra work I needed to take, then the film.  You don’t have a social life when you do both…it’s just not possible.  I’ll be damned if I’ll let that happen again.  I need to get my priorities in order.  Priority number 1 is finishing the task set before me, and that’s to complete this film.  Nobody will do it for me, it’s just me and my computer and whatever energy I can spare.  So I called my parents and my business partner and I think it would be wise to go home the end of July and regroup, work on this film for a solid month and get a presentable cut together with temporary music, tweaked edit, basic ADR mixed in, etc.  I really need to do this, I HAVE TO.  Also The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival will have a deadline this fall for feature-films…and unfortunately I don’t think I’ll make the cut.  Finding distribution is more important, and honestly we have no score and no funding for it.  The film would have to be 100% complete and I don’t think that we’ll get there.  That sorta bums me out, since I know we would have a good amount of support at the fest…but I guess it isn’t what God has in store.  Perhaps we could enter the year after, after the film is released?  It would still be eligible at that point I believe, but any hype the film might have when (if) it’s released on DVD would diminish by then so the odds of winning anything would drop a tad.  There was also the fact that there was no Sherwood film entered this year and no film by last years winner.  The odds would’ve been much better.

I have no kids, I have no wife, I have no responsibilities besides my film, whatever job I might hold, and a car payment with insurance to take care of.  Other than that, I could move once a month as long as I could pay for things.  Nothing is holding me around anywhere besides finances, and if I can take care of myself for the entire month of August before I leave home again in September…then it’s totally worth it if I get a solid month of work done on my film.  I really think it needs the attention.  All that sacrifice put in by everyone and not just myself.  All the people in my church family and surrounding them that passed away in the last year as we made this movie.  So much purpose in it all and us making a film about death, I can’t deny it being a divine appointment that we’re making it.  Above all honestly, I think the people that might be effected by the film (including those that don’t know the Lord) should be of a higher priority than my own comfort.  I’ll do whatever I have to, it’ll get finished.

I ended my day by watching one of my favorite movies with Vance…The Truman Show.  It’s an incredible film…in my Top 5 no problem.  Very few movies make me wish I could revisit what I felt the first time I saw it.  This one had me stunned when it ended the first time.  All I’ve ever wanted to do with my life was recreate that kind of sensational feeling for someone else.  I ate it up as the movie played out watching Vance react to the genius in the film.  Go rent it if you haven’t seen it.  You’ll enjoy it I promise

The past 7 days have been pretty tough on everyone around me.  There are so many things that have gone wrong recently, serious and not so much.  The anniversary of my grandmas death was last week, her birthday is this weekend.  Mike Cooper, one of my best friends passed away on Sunday.  My sunroof broke the day before I’m supposed to leave and left me with a couple hundred dollar bill because of my own stupidity.  On my last day in ministry, the online server hosted by GoDaddy.com crashed and we lost everything.  The media computer also at work that our distribution worker uses to print labels and such crashed as well so the C Drive is shot and needs replacement.  My 19in CRT monitor also is on the verge of death as well so I had to run to the church to get the other one that I said I would give to them, oi.  Lots of crap going on…

I’m finally packed up pretty good and this is the last thing this MacPro will send out from NYS.  I’m about to box it up and get it into my car.  I just recorded the last piece of ADR before I get out of here.  I hope that I’m not missing anything, and if I am…I guess they’ll be some plane tickets in my actors future.

Time to finish packing and go to bed.  God Bless, pray for me as I travel 2800 miles in the next 3-4 days.  NY has served me well since I was a kid, but it’s time to move on.  Brad, Jen, and Ben were over earlier and Kevin stopped by to say hi.  Brad and Jen just got back from Jamaica on vacation which is awesome.  I love those two so much, they make me smile.  Brad is my best friend and I care about him very much.  When they both left today I started crying, I couldn’t help it.  I’m really going to miss those two.  Brad is one of those friends that I could pick things back up with really far down the road without much effort.  I’ll miss everyone…I love you all.

This is Kyle, signing off…for the last time as a NY resident.  Farewell, wish me luck.

We wrapped Standing Firm today, thank goodness. What a journey it’s been. You can read about the day here. The day started off with me finishing prep for that last day. I did as much as I could the previous night but I’m starting to get sick (getting over it now) and didn’t have the energy. I’ve be hacking up awesome colors for a day or so. Beyond that the day was relaxing. When I left the church I didn’t even feel that excited, I just felt exhausted. I was excited but not jumping around because I couldn’t. Down in Lewiston I stopped by Hibbards to get a milkshake. That just sounded good to me…and it was. I barely had enough for it though and had to settle for a small. I hate not having enough for something, that doesn’t happen to me often. I don’t say that to be a jerk I just mean I normally have enough on me to get what I’m looking for. Either way I went home and relaxed, took a look at some of the footage we shot, posted on Facebook that we wrapped, and sat around the rest of the day. I got to bed at about 11 or so and had a horrible nights sleep.

The day was fun though, bittersweet but awesome at the same time. I’m glad to be done, just a few video interviews to do and some ADR and I’m finished until I get to CA.

5 Days left…say what!?

Today was another day of ADR for Rob.  I got up in the morning and meant to go to work to run something quick then run home but I was just too behind.  We got to work as soon as Rob got here and it took us about 4 hours to complete things.  We goofed around a little towards the end, putting in our voices for other actors.  It was fun putting in my voice for Pastor in a scene and….editing the dialog.  We sent it to him and waited for his phone call, he laughed immediately.  It was great fun, our cheeks were killing us watching a few short scenes with the absolute wrong voices on peoples faces.  Afterwards I waited for my mom to get home, ate some lunch, and played her in ping pong.  She told me to “hurry up and eat your hot dogs, I have to wup you in ping pong.”  I played her and won, woo!  I love playing ping pong…and I hope for a nice day on my b-day so we can play forever ha ha.

Later I went to Vintage and said goodbye to a lot of people I wont see for a very long time.  It was bittersweet at best.  I found myself saying goodbye to people more than once during the night, I couldn’t help it.  Everyone had good things to say and encouraged me which meant a lot.  Applebee’s was fun, and the buffalo wings were subpar…they always shortchange me.  Either way it was a great day and I had lots of fun.  Tomorrow is going to be pretty nuts and tiring.  I have our last day of shooting tomorrow, and I’m a bit nervous about completing it…not because of the amount of stuff (the amount is very little), it’s because of my uncertainty of what exactly I need.  I have a good idea but it’s just one of those “I don’t know” circumstances that scares me to death.  We also have something else to do tomorrow I wont mention but I’ve been dreading it for a long time.  Hopefully the day ends well.  I gotta figure out a way to get some ministry work done too after the shoot and the other stuff.  Should be a busy day, and a long one.

Move to CA To-Do List:
- Shoot Tomorrow then come home to do ADR with Eric till night (Eric wrapped)
- Do ADR with Eric all day Saturday if we don’t finish tomorrow
- Sunday is church, then a going away potluck for me with friends and family, then hanging with friends later in the day who I probably won’t see again unless I visit (sadness…)
- Last day of shooting with Rob at church
- Go to my last Vintage night at Tuesday and cry as I say goodbye to friends.
- Shoot Pastor’s interview for the film as well as my Gaffer’s and my moms.
- Finish ADR recording with Katy and Maggie, and anything left with Aaron.
- Work on all the ADR recorded to make sure I’m not missing anything and all takes are good and fit.
- Get any shots that might be left for the film like establishing shots while I have the chance.
- Begin packing.
- Shop for a new wardrobe all day one of the days.
- Somehow work in a 40hr work week at the church (my last)
- Complete training of volunteers for the taping at church and anything needed to be worked out with the guy taking my job in ministry.
- Finalize trip details
- Visit with any other friends and family while I have the chance.
- Finish planning my Bday/Going Away party and have it!

Artistic Filter Added ;)

I went to work today to start my last week at NFBC.  I’ve been there over three years on staff.  I can’t believe its been that long.  The first day our new Pastor preached on a sunday was my first taped sermon and we never let up from there.  Thousands of DVD’s sold to countries all over the world, it boggles the mind.  Started it all in my bedroom with my little PC and a 1 to 1 burner…whoda thunkit?

I’m really excited to leave though, it’s a lot of routine and I need some artistic changes before I go batty.  They’ll be OK though they got enough people to keep it pumping.  I hope they have many more years of success in that ministry and reach more people than we every did while I was there.  Reach for the stars!

I got some other stuff done at home today but mostly just relaxed.  I watched part of TAKEN with my mom which she rented and downed some awesome Chinese food we ordered.  I scarfed that stuff up really quick.  I tried to get another good profile pic of myself today and came out successful.  You probably take 50 pictures of yourself before you find one that is at a good angle with good light that you don’t look like a moron in.  We have this window at our house with white curtains that act like a soft-box for a picture…so that’s where I took it.  I look good….  

I met with Kevin today to go over some things for the film.  I’ll be working on the film in some capacity the next 3 days.  ADR tomorrow, Last day of shooting on Weds along with my Gaffers interview, ADR with the rest of my actors on Thursday and my Pastors interview, then we are DONE.  This week is gonna be bittersweet!

Btw, I just got sent this by a friend of mine and it rocked my world!  SO AMAZING.

When Devan showed me, I had to get a picture of this shirt.

I FINALLY went shopping for new clothes today.  I don’t shop, in fact I haven’t really gotten a lot of new clothes besides maybe a pair of shoes and a shirt…for at least 3 years.  I have old High School shirts lying around that I’ve dumped and in the past month I’ve been rotating my clothing.  I simply don’t have enough and needed a new wardrobe pretty much.  I had some help from some female friends of mine (thanks Devan and Mallorie!), and they did a good job  I got some awesome stuff and I’m really happy with the quantity.  I needed jeans, shorts, shirts, some nicer buttoned shirts, flip flops, a belt or two, etc.  I got a nice pile of threads now…pretty cool.  They also forced me to get some color so I now own shirts in colors I never wore before like green, yellow, lighter blue, etc.  They look great though.  I was exhausted by the time we were done, and these stupid bags I had from the first store we went too had given me blisters and raw fingers lol.  The handles were like cheap twisted paper and they were eating away my skin.

New Stuff...woo!

I also cleaned out my car today.  I had a garbage bag worth of junk to throw out.  I had bottles, reciepts, odd papers and stuff, and a bunch of other odd things.  I vacuumed it out and got all the rocks and junk that had accumulated since winter.  I can’t believe how many rocks were in my drivers seat.  All over the floor, little pebbles from our driveway from each time I got into my car.  There was probably a hundred of them or more piled in there haha.

After shopping I went to a going away party for a friend.  I only stayed for maybe a half hour because I was so tired.  It was sorta a hi and bye type of thing.  Not going wasn’t an option so I popped in to say hello and scoot.  I’m glad to be home and relaxing.  Since the ADR with Eric didn’t go over into today, next week should be a little easier since one days stuff has been written off today!  That makes me feel better, perhaps the week wont seem as nuts…it’ll still be nuts but yea you get my point.

9 Days folks….9 Days.

Move to CA To-Do List:
- Shoot Tomorrow then come home to do ADR with Eric till night (Eric wrapped)
- Do ADR with Eric all day Saturday if we don’t finish tomorrow
- Sunday is church, then a going away potluck for me with friends and family, then hanging with friends later in the day who I probably won’t see again unless I visit (sadness…)
- Last day of shooting with Rob at church
- Go to my last Vintage night at Tuesday and cry as I say goodbye to friends.
- Shoot Pastor’s interview for the film as well as my Gaffer’s and my moms.
- Finish ADR recording with Katy and Maggie, and anything left with Aaron.
- Work on all the ADR recorded to make sure I’m not missing anything and all takes are good and fit.
- Get any shots that might be left for the film like establishing shots while I have the chance.
- Begin packing.
- Shop for a new wardrobe all day one of the days.
- Somehow work in a 40hr work week at the church (my last)
- Complete training of volunteers for the taping at church and anything needed to be worked out with the guy taking my job in ministry.
- Finalize trip details
- Visit with any other friends and family while I have the chance.
- Finish planning my Bday/Going Away party and have it!