Posted by Fetch
Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:07:00 GMT
So, I’ve started doing these video journals at home since Joe simply refuses to follow me around where ever I go. I thought of dousing myself in pancake syrup as a lure, but thought better of it at the 11th hour. The idea of the video journals began when Alicia had the gumption to ask me what my story arc was. I know, nervy, right? The fact is, as much as this trip and the volunteer work will be at the center of the story, the true epicenter of the doc is supposed to be dealing with the life change that divorce thrusts upon you. Because of this, Alicia pointed out, it just isn’t enough to record the process of getting to Ghana, or interviewing others who participated in volunteer vacations, it requires something more intimate. Now, while I’m sure, if it was required, Joe would happily follow me around in order to record some thought that had crossed my brain if it fell into the documentary’s realm; the video journals provide a bit more intimacy. This offers Joe the added relief of not having to watch me cry (which, I’ll admit, I’ve done in some of my entries). because They say that people’s pasts and/or baggage follows them around in life and lately, I’ve found that both my ex, and this trip to Ghana (let’s pretend it’s in human form) are leading my personal pack. Their presence finds their way into everything I do: from work, to having drinks with friends, to dating, to sleeping. I think of it as being like the Verizon commercials that show human representations of cell bars following Verizon customers around everywhere they go. I’m told other people feel this way too – here’s hoping that they weren’t just being nice and my posting this blog doesn’t result in some mental health professional coming to my home to “invite” me to their “farm” in the country. Crazy or not crazy, it’s how I’ve been feeling lately – like I’m being metaphorically followed. Whereas a month ago, I found that this trip was pulling my focus from the demise of my marriage, recently it feels as if the two are getting closer together. I’m not sure why that is. I’m wondering now if this trip is going to be less about me beginning anew with a grand jumping off point, and more about intertwining the failure of my marriage with my need to have something else succeed. This documentary and my relationship with my ex have been further connected in my head because, as I recently confessed to Alicia, I am weirded out by the idea that he is reading these blogs. I know the phrase ‘lack of forethought’ is probably crossing your brain right now, but caution and jumping head first into something rarely coincide. You know, perhaps I should be video journaling about this right now…
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Posted by Fetch
Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:48:00 GMT
Tonight, Alicia Arinella and Wayne Parillo will sit on a panel hosted by Film in the City called, “Meet the Alternative Film Distributors.” They will be joined by Rebecca Cognet from Film Movement. The panel’s focus will be primarily on independent film and the discussion will include the following topics:
- how the Independent Film Distribution landscape is changing
-how companies are creating new ways to distribute film through On-Line and other Aleternative Film Distribution methods
The attendees will be comprised of filmmakers, directors and screenwriters.
We’d like to thank Film in the City for inviting On the Leesh to be a part of their program!
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Posted by Fetch
Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:08:00 GMT
Yesterday, Alicia and I were in Times Square to change money. She for Canada and me for Ghana. Two things occurred on our little jaunt that were surprising. The first shocker was that, apparently, you are not allowed to get Ghanaian money outside of Ghana (surprise!). Doing this is, from what we were told, in fact, illegal. I have not even stepped foot into the country yet, and already I seem to be unwittingly attempting to break laws. The second eye-opener was that our teller – yes – the dude behind the counter – was actually from Ghana! I knew something was up when I asked if they changed US Dollars to Ghanaian Cedi’s and he looked at me like I had an arm growing out of my forehead. He politely asked why I wanted to do that and I looked at him with no small amount of bewilderment on my face and said, “Because I’m going to Ghana.” With that, a big smile crossed his face and he announced that that is where he is from. After that, I had not a care in the world about not being able to fly to Ghana with a few Cedi’s already in my pocket because I had something better – an actual Ghanaian to talk to! He was wonderfully friendly and informative. He soothed my worries about Customs and we talked about food (fried fish, corn dishes), the weather (very hot, but lots of breezes) and he advised that Joe and I be on the doorstep of the Ministry’s Office when they open to get our press pass. He also recommended that we check out the Art Center in Accra but said to do my shopping on the roadside from the locals. I must say, if he is any indication, Ghana is going to be a very friendly place.
On a different note, I should also mention that I did my press pass dance today because (drum roll please), the documents arrived!! I even made Joe get up and dance a little. He attempted the poor man’s Macarena, but I’m sure he was dancing full out on the inside.
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Posted by Fetch
Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:22:00 GMT
Ode to the elusive Press Pass!
Why do you elude me? You say that you are on your way and yet…why have you not arrived yet? I promise to be good to you when you arrive… I will do a jig, even, had I the skills, perform a backflip. Yet, here I am, with an empty hand, sitting by the mailbox, longing for it to be filled with some sort of official paperwork.
Why long for the press pass you ask? Well, it seems that it will allow Joe and I to pass through Ghana’s Custom’s Dept without a questionable glance from the officials, who might wonder why these two tired looking people are bringing so much film equipment into their country.
While our Visas arrived very quickly, it seemed that our application for the press pass was misplaced. The people processing the information could not have been nicer or more helpful, and have said that the information has been found and is being processed. However, the neurotic New Yorker in me remains concerned until the actual document is in my shakey, nervous hands. Joe, of course, is not concerned. He merely shrugged, ordered another round of pancakes and sucked back a can of root beer. Joe has, it should also be noted, informed me that we are in a marriage of convenience. The convenience being that he figures, I worry so much, that he need not worry at all. Convenient for him, stroke-inducing for me. The truth is, I’m sure it will all work out. The people I have spoken with have been great and want to help but, I can also honestly say that I long for the day that I can talk about my want of the press pass in the past tense, rather than the present.
If you’re out there press pass, come home. We promise to treat you well!
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Posted by Fetch
Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:07:00 GMT
Denim has just been submitted to the LA Shortfest Film Festival. This marks On the Leesh’s first screening in Los Angeles and we couldn’t be
more proud!
If you’re in LA from August 15 – 21st, be sure to check it out. For more information at LA Shorts Fest
Congratulations to everyone involved! See you in Los Angeles.
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Posted by Fetch
Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:30:00 GMT
Embassies? Consulates? Press Pass? Whaaa???
I am a narrative girl. I make up stories. I say… Let’s pretend that so-and-so meets so-and-so in a coffee shop and then…. Or let’s make believe that some girl meets some guy in the park and then…
I can for sure say that I’ve never uttered the words, “Can I document my travels as I traipse around Accra to sightsee and then make my way to Ho in the Volta Region and do some volunteer work as I interview people about their experiences?” Nor have I ever asked my doctor if she wouldn’t mind if I film myself getting a shot (and oh please god, let them not put me in the paper apron that opens in the front while they administer my yellow fever vaccination and we capture it for forever on tape). That is very real. Sure, I was never the type of writer that told far fetched stories. You’d never catch me spinning a tale about a girl meeting a guy in the park, falling in love, and then combining forces to combat rockets shooting out some secret government bacteria. My story would most likely entail my girl and guy falling in love and then dealing with, oh, I don’t know, relationship issues. So unless those rockets came with a surprise pregnancy, or a cheating boyfriend/girlfriend, it’s not really a story I’m likely to tell.
However, just because my scripts are usually grounded in reality does not mean that they are real! And yet, I now find myself in the world of – ‘Julie’s freaking out about plane tickets – get this on film!’ Or ‘Julie’s freaking out about getting the press pass – get this on film!’ ‘Julie’s freaking out – who cares about what! For goodness sake, get the freaking camera!!’
It’s all becoming real in a way that I never considered before: the budget, the plane tickets, the program, the shots…. Yellow fever, hepatitis, malaria pills, tetanus, Cipro for extreme diarrhea, an Epi Pen for my shellfish allergy. Oh my… And while I’ve had many of these shots from previous trips or for swimming in the Hudson River (don’t ask), hearing the list once again, is, well, not a small thing.
Recently, I told my mother that I was having anxiety dreams about forgetting something…like say, the malaria pills, only to then look down at my leg and see a smiling mosquito having my ankle for lunch. To this, my wise mother asked, “Then why are you doing this?” Can a person answer, “because I’m getting a divorce?” Is that a legitimate response?
From the stories I’ve heard, when relationships breakdown, most turn to the bottle, maybe have a lot of sex, maybe they find they don’t leave the house, or they bury their head in a huge tub of ice cream… I don’t know that I’ve heard the old tale of the person making their way to Africa. Yet, I think the idea is the same as the others. And certainly I’m not very different from anyone else. You see, while I find myself having an anxiety dream about some Ghanian prison, I find that I’m not having a dream about my husband walking out. The rotation of ideas and thoughts and reasons for his leaving plays less often in my head and is slowly being replaced by the trip. I’d be lying if I said that I planned it this way, because I absolutely did not. I hoped for a distraction, sure, but I never imagined how much this trip would consume me. And it’s consumption in the best way possible. Now I’m not negating the building blocks of the drunken stupor, or the night of random sex, or the various flavors of a well-churned ice cream – I just can’t do it. I needed something more…lasting, I guess. I needed something that would match the pace of my racing mind.
And I have to tell you… I think I’ve found it.
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Posted by Fetch
Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:54:00 GMT
Last month I had the opportunity to travel to Chicago to work on a project that On the Leesh has been involved with for quite some time, “Masquerade: calypso and home.” Along with the writer/performer, Roger Bonair Agard, Jennifer Conley-Darling, our producer, Bruce Steinberg, our production manger/lighting designer and myself, stage manager, traveled to The University of Illinois at Chicago to perform Roger’s one-man show about growing up in Trinidad.
We stayed in downtown Chicago, which was beautiful. We spent most of our time at the theatre on campus, gathering up our props and furniture pieces for the show. We had a wonderful experience working with the team at the theatre and with the Jane Adams Hull House Museum, which was the organization that brought us out there.
Since Slam-Poetry was first pioneered in Chicago during the mid-1980’s, Roger has performed there many times. Consequently we had many of his friends and colleagues among our diverse and enthusiastic audiences. After each show Roger gave a talkback where the audience could ask him questions about his performance and he could talk about the process of transitioning his poetry “concert” into a one-man show.
This was not the first time I have worked on “Masquerade.” I had the privilege of being the Stage Manager for the show when Roger performed during the Fortnight Festival (at the NYC based Barrow Street Theatre Company) earlier this year. Roger has been performing his show with terraNOVA for over three years now, ever since it’s debut at terraNOVA’s soloNOVA Festival 3 years ago.
Overall, doing a show out of town was a great experience. Good communication is key when you are setting things up over a telephone. It was very rewarding to be able to go to a place where you don’t know anyone and are able to produce something great no matter what the circumstances. It was a good reminder that you must be willing to make sacrifices, be flexible and be able to work with what is given to you. You always want to turn out a good product no matter what the circumstances are.
While I was there I also got a chance to walk around the city, meet up with some friends and visit Chicago’s biggest craft brewery: Goose Island. Thanks to terraNOVA and On the Leesh for giving me this opportunity to have some fun and do some theatre outside of my normal comfort zone!
Melissa Jernigan, Stage Manager.
“jack of all trades, master of none”
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Posted by Fetch
Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:54:00 GMT
Joe and Julie Go to Ghana
In order to do a documentary about going on a trip, you must have someone doing the documenting. This someone is a sweet-tart-eating, pancake-loving, root beer drinking dude named Joe. Let me be clear on this – the list of foods and beverages that Joe will take into his body can be counted on one hand. Pancakes: Yes. Sweet Tarts: Yes. Root Beer: Yes. Burgers: Yes. Pizza: Yes. Salmon: Yes. Everything else: NO. Many questions arise from this list such as how salmon somehow got an acceptance letter to Joe’s stomach but say, Milky Way bars didn’t.
Now, if Joe were standing over me as I wrote this, I’m sure he would throw some more foods and bevarages onto this sad little pile, but there wouldn’t be much. In fact, a typical nonwork conversation between Joe and Julie goes as follows:
Julie: “Hey Joe, what about lasagna. Will you eat lasagna?”
Joe: “No. Gross”
Julie: “But you eat pizza and it has basically the same ingredients.”
Joe: “But pizza’s not gross.”
Julie: “What about vegetables? Don’t you need vegetables?”
Joe: “No. I take alfalfa pills.”
Julie: “Joe, you need to be studied by the AMA.”
Joe: “Bring it on.”
Somehow, every conversation degrades into me telling Joe that the American Medical Association should study him and Joe expounding on the power of alfalfa pills.
So, when I was first thinking about doing this documentary and talked to Joe about whether he was interested in going with me, my first question was not, ‘are you interested?,’ or ‘how do you envision this’ it was ‘what in the hell are you going to eat?’
Now Joe promises me that he will “iron man it” as he likes to say but we’ve been planning this documentary for awhile now and I have yet to see him show the slightest bit of interest in any foods outside of his safety list. So now on my Ghana ‘to do’ list is: visas, shots, permissions, and ensuring that Joe doesn’t whither away and die from lack of food and drink.
Now I have promised him one carry on bag filled with sweet tarts, but I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’m concerned that Customs in the airport will assume that Joe and I are somehow carting drug laced candies with us since NOBODY would understand needing to carry an entire bag of sweet tarts with them. Though I also realize that I tend toward worrying…while Joe tends toward… Relaxing.
Yes, this is going to be a great partnership.
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Posted by Fetch
Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:01:00 GMT
Congratulations to our very own, Jeff Lycett – writer and director of such On the Leesh hits as Denim and The Sexually. Mr. Lycett is a man of many talents – not only does he write and director for film, but he plays a mean guitar hero and can eat an old fashioned steak frites with the best of them. However, Mr. Lycett moonlights as a painter and recently sold his very first painting. You can see the painting (black and white of skulls) behind our actors in the Sexually promos.
Yeah to Jeff!
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Posted by Fetch
Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:48:00 GMT
Alicia was recently interviewed by Craine’s NY about On the Leesh’s ongoing webseries and the opportunities that the Internet provides production companies. Also featured in the article is Jessica Arinella as Holly Malone in our webseries, “The In-Betweens of Holly Malone.” Be sure to check out the article at:
Craines NY
And to watch all of our webseries go to:
www.ontheleesh.com/web-series/current
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