New Video: All About the Elbows

Here's a short scene I just edited together. It's got something to do with elbows.

New scene - Captain Zorikh Runs the Gauntlet

The "running of the gauntlet" that I did in the rehearsal inspired me to create this scene in the movie. It is a pivotal moment in the story. I believe that sometimes there is not just one pivotal moment, an experience has to be reinforced by successive events to truly make a long-lasting impact. This scene occurs immediately afte another pivotal experience.

NYC Submission Shootout 9/20/09, part 2

Here's the rest of the NYC Submission Shootout for me, oncew again, my presence was sponsored by the Big Apple Comic-Con.

NYC Submission Shootout Sept. 2009 part 1

Well, I went back to the NYC Submission shootout and competed again. I did about the same as last time, although I fought four matches instead of three. Here's the first one...



The rest of the day will be coming soon!

My participation in this event was sponsored by the Big Apple Comic-Con which explains the graphic at the beginning and end of the video, and the large green t-shirt that I am wearing.

About a certain grappling party

For various reasons it looks like I will not be going back to that monthly grappling party for the foreseeable future. This is a shame, because I have had a lot of fun there, and cast part of my movie with my friends from there and people I have met there.

I am proud to have been a part of this party and the activities surrounding it since before the beginning, and have enjoyed much of it. I love each and every person I have met there and worked with regarding it.

I hope to keep in touch with you all, and hope to see you and have you as part of my future endeavors.

Heck of a weekend!

We shot the "Captain Zorikh plays a gig" scene at an actual gig at Otto's Shrunken Head. Then we showed the Tag-Team match at the bi-monthly Movie Madness Sunday at the same place.

The gig was a glorious trainwreck. I had wanted to form a band entirely of fighters from the movie, but some of them were not available, and some of those that were had a hard time getting to rehearsals. I needed to have a good gender ratio to match the theme of the movie, but it seems to be difficult to find rockabilly keyboardists and drummers in this town.

Finally, between people I have worked with, people I knew, people from the movie, and some last-minute networking with Frank Wood outside Otto's Shrunken Head, I wound up with a band, using the "Death Star Repairmen" name, consisting of myself on vocals, guitar, and harmonica, Eli Maniscalco on bass, Avery Man and Nicole Giunta on Saxophone, Isaac Everett and Amanda Tree on keyboards, Grace on drums, and Becca Hasselbrook on cajon. The entire band got a grand total of about 15 minutes of rehearsal as a unit before hitting the stage at Otto's.

Everything was late. We were the first band for the night. The house keyboard was locked up, the mikes were not out, the gig booker was late, the house manager was not present, and there was no one there to see us yet. Fortunately the camea people were there.

We got everything set up. The cameras were ready, audience arrived, more audience were hooked in from the other room, the band got on stage, and we blasted away, almost fully unencumbered by excessive preparation. The crowd was into it, the cameras were rolling, and we got through the two songs twice.

The camera crew consisted of Evelyn, M. Green, Matt Rosen, and Fred Smith.

After the set I hung out with Patrick Devaney of "Zombie Hunters" and several others, including Lou Nogueira, the "Guru" of the Underground Team in the movie. We had a rip-roaring time discussing making movies,and more, until we all crawled home.

After having avoided alcohol for two weeks to prep my voice for the gig, it was good to drink again.

Then on Sunday we screened the Tag Team match in two parts as well as "Zombie Hunters, Episode 6."

Though the turnout was lighter than in previous screenings, it was enthusiastic. We even drew in a few people from the bar who were not aware of the screening at first. It went very well. The Tag Team match got the desired reaction from the crowd. They were with the action all the way through. When Kristi-Lynn spun Doug on her shoulders, they cheered. When Big Vince proposed, the laughed with the hones guffaw of the recognition of the absurdity of the situation. When Captain Zorikh hit the mat, they cheered. And the applause at the end felt like genuine enthusiasm.

the screening was sponsored in part by the Big Apple Comic-Con, October 16-18 in NYC.

This all inspires me the keep on working, keep on digging, and get this movie done!

Tag Team Match part 2

When last we left our heroes, Vince was struggling with commitment issues, both on the mat and in his relationship with Kristi. Lady Lee had dominated her two matches in the tournament, GA and Derek were still seeking their first victories of the day, and Captain Zorikh was facing his first tag-team match. And will the guru of the Underground team and the Trainer of the Legit team ever meet on the mat?

I have been experimenting with the London Bus Stop version of "Get it On, Bang a Gong" and the Ry Cooder soundtrack music. Please comment and let me know what you think.