Amity

I published the AMITY fan page on Facebook and included a YouTube clip which contains some unassembled raw footage:

Fellow filmmaker Titus Richard took the various shots and made a smooth sequence from them:

Be sure to add yourself as a fan on the AMITY Facebook page for further updates in the social media realm. And keep in mind that all fans can write directly on the AMITY page.

When I submitted for the lead role in AMITY 10 months ago, I was a little skeptical. I knew the basic story line which sounded interesting, but I also knew it was going to be mostly improvised with a loose script. Don’t get me wrong, that sounded like a blast, but I was a bit worried about the experience of the director.  I didn’t know if he was just another guy with a camera who wanted to experiment with some actors.  You see, you never know what your gonna get with low budget indie films.  In fact, you don’t even know when and if the film will ever get completed. There are plenty of people who want to make films. There are only so many that can complete the process. There are even less that can make an impression. Long story short, Alejandro Adams has made an impression.  When I asked for his previous experience, he sent me a link to a very positive Variety review from his first feature film, AROUND THE BAY. Seriously? Variety Magazine gave this bay area indie filmmaker a stellar review? Is this for real?  Well, yes, it was for real and he actually has gotten one more for his second feature film, CANARY, as well. I joked with him later that I thought maybe he did a cut and paste with the Variety logo. He has had plenty of other impressive reviews from other respected magazines as well. This guy apparently knows what he is doing.

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That’s pretty much the best word to describe my Amity experience. From getting cast 10 months ago, to trying to work around scheduling conflicts (mostly due to my needing to work weekends), to meeting and working with all of the incredible people who made this possible. Not too long ago, the last word I would have used to describe myself would be “actor”, but I guess Alex saw something, and did whatever it is he does to bring out what he saw, and according to him it works. All I can say is thank you for the opportunity, the experience and the thrill of working on such a great project.

The first scene we shot takes place near the end of the film where Greg has assembled an excitable group of party girls into the limo for late night existential conversation. Lighting the inside of a packed limo at night is one kind of task. Handholding a camera for a 64 minute continuous take is yet another. I survived both. Party girls, driver and passenger alike, I heard several of the actors describe acting in the limo scene as quite a vivid psychological experience. For me, the process of doing something strenuous in a confined space for a long period of time without coming up for air can result in an enjoyable mini-trauma. There’s an etching in my memory, not from the pain of backaches or trying to move in slow motion (have you tried that lately?), but the pain of separation loss when it’s all over and the limo empties. Something powerful happened in there and we all shared it. At a certain point I think we all forgot where we were, then remembered, and then wanted to forget again. Sometimes when I’m on an airplane and everyone around me is motionless or sleeping, often this sensation suddenly comes over me: “Wait a minute, this all seems very civilized on the surface, but I’m actually in a tin can hurdling through space! This is crazy and dangerous!” I want to shake the person next to me and implore them to think about the physics of what is happening. And then I just forget about it a moment later and go back to reading Skymall. The shooting of a scene like this is similar; at first I’m engaged for a while trying to “do a good job”, and then later I become conscious that THIS IS STILL GOING ON, and then still later I forget even what it is that’s going on, not even hearing voices properly, as I descend into an underwater wash of the experience of imagery. It was hallucinatory, and left its mark on me. But, the wound is only 64 minutes small; luckily they don’t make MiniDV tapes longer than that. What’s that? They do? Don’t tell Alejandro.
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The limo scene…hours of fun! It’s been a couple of weeks since we filmed, but I haven’t been able (or wanted) to let go. It really was a night on the town — fun, intense, a little bit crazy, getting tipsy and drunk off of Martinelli’s!

Alejandro really let us just play…as a “Meisner” actor, it was one of the greatest filming experiences ever! A chance to be completely honest and truthful, even when the subject was uncomfortable, dark, or painful. And the ending of our scene was so incredibly powerful — won’t say more than that.

I can’t thank Alejandro enough for the opportunity to be part of this movie — it has been an honor and a pleasure to work with him, his crew, and the other fantastic actors!

I’d worked with Alex on Canary so I had some idea what to expect–at least as far as how we might be directed. So I knew it’d be a fun night and that he’d somehow get what he wanted from us But it’s all heavily improvised, so it’s impossible to predict how the action’s going to develop–esp when there are 7 actors! It makes Alex’s pictures really special and cool to work on–you never really know what’s going to happen…

Unscripted, improvised scene work on camera was a new experience for me. I can’t wait to see what it looks like. I was surprised not only by how I felt in the limo scene, but also how much I judged those feelings. I am grateful for the chance to be stripped of pretense… the truth was unavoidable, and it scared the shit out of me; I felt so completely vulnerable. LOVE that! Many thanks to everyone who was there, I had a wonderful time.

Alexandra Dorian, the owner of Emile’s in downtown San Jose, opened the restaurant for us on a Sunday, set tables, lit candles, decorated our plain cheesecake, and performed in the scene as the restaurateur who indelicately kicks out two lingering, obnoxious patrons. We didn’t just get a restaurant location with a generous owner–we got a Stella Adler-trained actress who was able to match the intensity of the male actors in the scene, who were themselves at their most intense and volatile. We’d like to thank Alexandra for her considerable contribution to this production.

Emile’s is located at 545 S 2nd St, San Jose, CA 95112. Reservations: (408) 289-1960. (A quick glance at the awards and reviews might help you dial faster.)

Be sure you have a chance to talk with Alex while you’re there. It’s an experience you won’t forget.

Alex’s 49er Inn in San Jose is open seven days a week from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM, so shooting when the bar is closed would be a real challenge. Alex, the owner, allowed us to come into the bar from 8:00 to 10:00 on a Sunday morning, knowing that we’d have to set up lights and booms which might disrupt business. He even allowed camera persons behind the bar, which created obstacles for the bartenders (they got a kick out of it). There were ten patrons, all of whom made an effort to be quiet while we shot. We’d like to thank Alex, the staff and the patrons for their generosity and patience.

Alex’s 49er Inn is located at 2214 Business Cir, San Jose, CA 95128 (at the intersection of Bascom and W San Carlos). You won’t find a more welcoming staff or a more relaxed atmosphere.