Olalla... and more!

The contemporary Olalla

The date is approaching in which we shoot the final scenes for Olalla, those set in the 1880s. This weekend we leave for Potosí, and we return to La Paz on the 25th. We'll be traveling more than 10 hours to the rather far-away location.

And what a location it is, a huge colonial hacienda, with its own chapel, big yards, courtyards. Everything I wanted, and more, for this film. One downside is the lack of internet. As a cyborg, I will find that rather disconcerting. We have verified that our phones work there, however. So, it won't be quite as cut-off as when we shot Barbazul (Bluebeard) in Chivisivi.

A lot will happen in those days, many key scenes will be shot, leading up to the big, climactic scene in which my character is dragged out by an angry mob, chained to a cross, whipped, and burned alive. She is a vampire after all. In those times, the general population was not so forgiving of bloodlust...

Planning the FX for the big scene has been challenging, and crucial to making it work. I think the results will be fantastic.

We've been pre-producing this part of the film for quite some time, it's period 1880s, so more work involved in terms of costumes, props, and set design. I'm absolutely ready to get this film in the can.

Which leads me to my next film... which it looks like I'll be directing this year as well. Maybe even in July... called Debutante,  film based on the George Bernard Shaw play, Pygmalion. Of course my version, co-written by Jac Avila and myself, will be a bit more... racy (read: absolutely perverted), as well as being a dark comedy.

And there's Justine, which Jac Avila - my partner in crime, if making movies is a crime - will be directing, a labor of love based on the Marquis de Sade's very famous tale of woe, and innocence lost.

We're still securing locations for that film, but we have some great leads, and some excellent actors and crew already on board. I say Labor of Love, because it's a huge project, one that started as a bit more modest and has grown exponentially. Making a period piece is never easy, and this one is more ambitious than most. Carriages, and powdered wigs, anyone? While challenging, it's a worthwhile project, a story that has been told before in cinema, but never like this.

Last, but not least, I also directed a short, existential film this year, based on a story by Jack Hunter, called Ekeko. Here's the short description: "Is a folkloric doll responsible for the murder of a young woman by her husband?".

I shot it entirely on a GoPro, which was challenging, as well as the "found footage" style, which I had previously never used. But the shots turned out great, and the crazy physical effect I made is pretty awesome. I'm happy with it.

Right now, it's being considered for film festivals, and will be included in a film called Paranoia Tapes, and has a lot of other great filmmakers involved, including the creator of the PollyGrind film festival.

My good friend Ralphus pointed out to me that I might have more free time if I wasn't always working on 4 or 5 films at the same time. But what would be the fun in that? Also, I have no other life outside of making films, so I have no idea what I would do with all that free time, other than watch awesome K-pop music videos recommended to me by C. Dean Andersson.

That's all for now, I'll see you on the other side of Olalla!