Albuquerque 7th Week

8/14/21

Shot "The Martian Six Shooter" this morning at a kindest/ sweetest elderly gentleman's house four blocks from here. I met Jose Rivera at a park 3 block from my front RV door a few weeks ago. He was sitting inside his VW Beetle just about ready to head home. and I rode my bike to his driver's side window and began chat him up. We chatted mostly about his Yellow Bug. Me telling him it was the first car I ever owned and Mr. Rivera telling me he had owned six!

We said goodbye and that was that. But on Wednesday, I got and idea for a scene. He'd described his house and I rode my bike over there, rang the door bell, and after a rather extended, pleasant chat, I pitched the scene. He was enthusiastic - and said yes.

This morning , Saturday, we rolled! I think it took us 3 hours or so to complete shooting . It involved two other very nice actors, Jules and Leo. No scene is easy to shoot since it requires multiple takes and angles. And it can get pretty technical. But it went AOK. I'm gonna edit today. Maybe I'll have a rough cut by tomorrow evening. But if you believe the bible (and I don't!) Sunday's a day of rest. This "day of rest" nonsense I'll go ahead and play along with. Or if they (whoever the fuck they are) decide that this sentence could use a rewrite, I suggest the following: "Sunday is a day for a double Gin and Tonic or TWO". Now that's what I call resting!

Any pay special attention to my iPhone rig in the picture at the head, and at the bottom. iPhone 8, MoviePro app ($10) Lavalier Mic, handheld rig of my own design, card board sunshade... you get the picture. No fancy nothing. Just the way I like it.

8/16

I ride my bike nearly every day to to Java Joe's for coffee and internet connection and to visit my new coffee shop friends. It takes five minutes from my RV front door the the counter of the friendly staff there. On my way to JJs I pass a middle school, Washington Middle School. I even scoped out the tennis courts behind the main building before school began last Wednesday. On Thursday, on the second day of class, one kid shot and killed another kid. They were both THIRTEEN! Unbelievably sad and depressing as hell. There are no words. I stopped this morning and took a photograph of the makeshift memorial. And it'll be same deal. An official statement from the school district, the police, etc., expressing all the familiar words we have come to expect. All the regular "steps". All meant to cover as many official asses as possible. It's disgusting. The beginning to this tragedy may sound familiar: a kid brought his dad's loaded pistol to school and used it to kill another kid. Two children had their snuffed out an destroyed by lunchtime. (way to go dad/gun owner!)

The overwhelming reaction, and it's hopelessly cynical, for the Population in ABQ will be (and it could be any-town USA) ------ "What's on TV tonight?"