I fail at life

So I finished my first day of interviews. I still have tomorrow with Ernie's painting of the Madame and the other whores. And then Sarah Feeley has a reading that I'll be filming and then having an interview with her after.

Today started very well and then somehow went disastrous. I had a interview with Erica Young the Tarot Card Reader. I got there on time and we had a very good interview talking about her as a tarot card reader and the many other things that she is into to. After I left headed down to Brooklyn to interview Sierra the costume designer.

Well since the A was the closest I decided to take it down to Broadway Junction and then take the J over to Myrtle. Well I missed my stop by a long shot. I ended up all the way at Jamaica Bay at the Broad Channel stop. I was way out the fucking way. So I didn't get to Sierra's until a little 6pm. I was suppose to be there at 5:30pm. But it was OK with Sierra and we waited for Ari, the Art Coordinator, and we had a dual interview.

I knew that I wasn't going to make it meet Matt Yeager, one of the Whores. I was suppose to meet him at 1pm but I had fucked around and the bus I was suppose to catch sold out so I could get into the city until 1:30pm. So we arranged to meet at 7pm. Well because I was so behind I couldn't meet him. I had called and he said try to make it by 7:30pm and have an interview till about 8:30pm. Well I didn't get to 125th till 8:21. So I went back downtown and now I'm staying at my friend's dorm at NYU. Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.

Roughing it

So I'm once again going up to New York for the Poetry Brothel documentary. Last Saturday was Valentines Day so there was no rehearsal. This weekend is different from before because I will up up for both Friday and Saturday. Elyssa is once again on another project this weekend so I will going by myself. 

The main point of the weekend is to do one-on-one interviews with a couple of the poets. So far I have five interviews for sure. I may be able to get a couple of more while Ernie is doing a painting of the Madame with the other whores. I have brought seven 60min tapes. I do hope that is enough for the weekend. If it isn't I will surely cry.

Earlier in the week I had no place to stay Friday night into Saturday. I had the plan to put all the equipment in a locker in Penn Station and find a corner to sleep in. Kristi then came up with the idea to get a room at a hostel. If it wasn't too expensive it would be a good idea. so I was to stay at the Chelsea International Hostel until my friend Anne from high school said that I could crash in her dorm at NYU. Problem solved: a place to stay for free that doesn't involved me getting shanked.

Costume Day

So this Saturday was Costume Day rehearsal for the Brothel. Everyone brought in pieces for the costume (and others if they had ideas). I had brought 3 tapes thinking that I would use maybe 2 of them, including getting coverage of NY. I used 3 3/4 tapes just of the rehearsal alone. I have to say I was not expecting it. Though I shouldn't have been surprised maybe. The first week Elyssa went up they had to leave early and there was maybe 40 minutes of tape. Last week we ran out of battery but we got a hour. This week was completely uninterrupted and so we had 3 hours of tape. I think I got a lot of good footage. It sucks that it seems that besides the actual event of the Brothel I'll be going up alone (unless I'm able to get someone to help). 

I don't mind having to go up alone. I know my way around somewhat and don't mind the lack of company. It is slightly difficult with dealing with sound while filming. I'm pretty sure I'm getting accurate sound but its probably not as great as if I had someone booming for me. We'll see when I capture the future.

For the Brothel I want to have 2 camera teams and someone taking stills. I already have some to take stills for me. Hopefully he wont back out on me. I'm not sure if I want to deal with booming for the brothel. But it might be good for when the with the whore are reciting their poetry for the whole audience. But I don't want to have to switch between having a shot on the boom and then on the camera. Unless I just have it separate and switch the channels when I need to. Elyssa and I will come to a conclusion when we discuss it.

Also, since I've emailed the whores about one-on-one interviews, I've gotten some responses back. Side Note: We really need to get the release forms out to everyone to sign. I hope Elyssa has them together so we can email them to everyone.

Poetry Brothel Documentary

So Elyssa and I are currently working on a documentary on the the Poetry Brothel in New York City. Here is a description of the event:

The Poetry Brothel is the first event of its kind to seduce New York City. A new and dreamlike twist on a poetry reading, The Poetry Brothel is foremost interested in the presentation of excellent, original literature. However, it is also an interactive performance art event based on the concept of a brothel. The "Madame" presents a rotating cast of this city's finest poets (both men and women) engaged in a night of surreal happenings, literary debauchery and private poetry readings. Here's how it works: The poets play "whores," visitors play "johns" (and are also encouraged to attend incognito!) but instead of physical intimacy, the poets offer the intimacy of their poetry by giving private, one-on-one readings in curtained-off areas. All of the resident "whores" are available for private readings at any time during the event (for a small fee). Of course, every good brothel needs a furtive "front" or cover business; ours is part saloon and part salon, offering a full bar (serving Le Tourment Vert absinthe all night!), blackjack table (played for prizes), tarot card readings, raffle tickets, live painting, one-on-one poetry consultations (bring your poems!), and live music, with performances from our poets, performers, and artists throughout the night. Each night "The Madame" will also introduce "the new girl," a featured reader who will delight the whole cast and cast of customers with a very special public performance.

We've done two weekends of shooting during the Brothel's rehearsals. I'm liking the footage we have so far. I hope this tis will be a really good documentary. I want to submit it to festivals an hopefully make something out of it. Let's hope for the best.