June 13, 2005

• Film Updates

  
  

  Because of all the other projects (“Poseidon Adventure” and “The Gene Generation“) coming in so quickly after “Hatchet“, I never got a chance to do a comprehensive entry on the “Hatchet“ shoot.

  
  

  In a nutshell, I really got the chance to play around with a very wacky character that I’ve never seen done on screen before.  As you might be able to tell from my costume (it’s missing the Top Hat), I play a very Ringmaster-y/flamboyant character that runs a “Haunted” Swamp Boat Tour on the Bayou.  And from the makeup job below you can see that I do get into a little run-in with someone at one point in the movie. 

  
  

  Here’s some very kind words written by the director, Adam Green, excerpted from the online “Hatchet” journals:

  
  

  Posted: 5.22.2005
  ADAM GREEN  Writer/Director

  
  

  It’s hard to give praise to just a few when ALL are doing such an amazing job, however, before I went in to work tonight I wanted to share a few words about Richard Riehle (MR. PERMATTEO) and Parry Shen (SHAWN). If you look up “professional” in the dictionary, somewhere in the definition there should be pictures of both of these men.

  
  

   

  
  

  Tonight is my last night working with Parry Shen, and I am bummed. Every time we picture wrap an actor it’s like graduation. You’re celebrating the accomplishment but at the same time, having to say goodbye. Parry Shen had a very difficult job because he was playing my favorite character in the movie.  And as any actor can tell you, sometimes you have impossible expectations to live up to in a case where the Director is also the Writer.  But Parry exceeded my expectations and brought the character of SHAWN to a whole new level. His choices were always wisely made and he always did his homework the night before. Everyone in the cast complimented him on his achievements in this movie by dubbing him a ‘Richard Riehle Junior’. Always smiling, always prepared, always professional…and always SO amazingly good, this is a guy who not only worked the entire night in the freezing rain, but went home to a newborn daughter in his limited time off. I am devastated to see him wrap out tonight.

  
  

  Very cool, huh?  Although to be perfectly honest, one of the major reasons I was so particularly “on” with my homework was because I wanted to find opportunities in the script where I could slowly shed parts of my ridiculous costume. 

  
  

  I found organic moments in the script where I’d deliberately establish to lose the Top Hat… then cape… then vest… a moment to roll up the  sleeves and hide the puffy/pirate cuffs – all during times that made sense.  And since we didn’t always shoot in chronological order, I had to keep track of where and when I had certain parts of my costume intact and not in order to maintain continuity.  Because making those kinds of choices/changes are fine, just as long as you don’t mess things up for others — like the editor.

  
  

  All in all, I think the film is very faithful in the vein of the ”Friday the 13th“/”Halloween“/”Texas Chainsaw Massacre“ flicks.  But the question will be: Is there still a market for an updated, new franchise “slasher-flick”character or has the horror genre moved onto the “zombie/supernatural” themed films like “Shaun of the Dead“, “28 Days Later” and “Amityville Horror“?  With how innovative all the death scenes look and obtained with such a super-low budget, I think it has a really good chance to be a break-away sleeper.

  
  

  Now here’s a sneak peek of my current role in “The Gene Generation” as Jackie – the lovable, slacker/gambling/petty thief, little brother of Bai Ling set in a “Blade Runner“-esque/alternative future. 

  
  

  So in a matter of 1 and a half  weeks, I went – 

  
  

  from this:               to this:                  to this:  Basically from Orange Pirate Shirt to leather pants and buckles.  Notice how the clothes affected my body’s posture automatically.  Not to say this is what you should do at auditions but wearing something similiar in terms of a certain cut or material feel helps.  This is what Jennifer Garner must go through for “Alias“. 

  
  

  More updates on the shoot and the cast to come on this one  — but here’s a cool tidbit: Ms. Faye Dunaway is in it!  My first film with an Academy Award® Winner!  And get this… the director’s name is: Pearry.  Can you say: Major head-turning confusion on the set? 

  • 12:42 pm
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