Banned from Rehearsal!

Yes, we're rehearsing all Canada Day...
...But I'm ordered to stay home and work my performance while they sort out this cue stuff. Tech day went smoothly in some ways, but very rough in others. It's just not a lot of time with the tech equipment and the play is ambitious. We were very happy to discover that our Fringe tech operators are really good. Like, known across the land to be GOOD. We've lucked out once again.

Anyways, at 1pm tomorrow I am to be reunited with TEAM MEDIA where we will become a 4d adventure and do another run. It is true, it's impossible for me to focus on performance when cue convos are going on. But there's lots of beats and steps and mannerisms I'd like to concentrate on and finesse.
Now- bed. I am not treating myself very well unfortunately and I'm supposed to be at this point.

TECH DAY!

We move in to our venue today at 11am- hoo boy! This is the start of me feeling like, "I finished making the cues... you run em.... so I can ACT!" That's the positive. The negative is the terror... oh my god these cues better work, this tech better be amazing, I hope we have not, truly, bitten off too much!

Yesterday involved some serious prep- dough laid out at the mac store and Steve's music. Then planning, list making, car packing. I think they want people to be prepared, so they are firm and give a lot of warnings... but to someone like me who's already cautious... IT'S TERRIFYING!

Also terrifying: I have friends in other shows that are opening today! I don't open until Friday. The thought of opening today is... TERRIFYING!!

Guests!

Today we had our first rehearsal with "outside eyes." And our first attempt at a full media run through. The media was rocky... and I was TIRED. Not stressed- because we've crossed that line of "worst case scenario, there will be something up and it will work." But tired, as in "this could be better- I'll stay up one more hour."

But I pulled through. I can't imagine I'll get more fatigued than this during the run, so it's good to know I can get through it in terrible conditions.
Get through it... but not dazzle in any way.
Our media just needs better burning, and practice with cues.

Tech day is Wednesday morning. This is the scariest. Tech- and the challenge of doing setup/teardown in 15 minutes.

Yesterday I put off part of a family event so that I could rehearse. I found out the event had kittens! Newborn kittens! Oh- this- play >:(

K2K- G20 Edition

I said to Aislinn, "Lets take pictures today for the blog!" But this is what we got- I left for coffee and almost didn't come back. This is Aslinn's pic from when she poked her head out to look for me.
Me: "Please let me pass- I'm in a rehearsal. The door is right there. Can you just escort me?"
Cops in clumps that look like ants: "No."
Me: "But like, Are my friends trapped in there? Are they stuck rehearsing all night and like, I'm not even there?"
Cops: "Grr."
Another Cop: "I've seen you before! Grrr!"

I wanted to get back in. So I went into an alley. I took off my hat. I changed my hair. I was a master of disguise. I slipped past the cops and in the door!

Rehearsal went well. We had a projection problem- and the solution is a happy accident. We worked on my dance and a couple scenes I was unsure about. (Much better.)
And... The media is pretty much done! I feel such a weight off! This is happening! I saw it projected on the screen!

AND THEN I got home and had a call from Mom. Apparently we're in the Orangeville Newspaper!?

More Shout Outs:
Shelly Marshall- OMG so nice and now I have a sandwhich board!
Aislinn- Amazing.
Parking attendant- It WASN'T my fault I couldn't get back to my car, and you understood that.

A Breath!

I keep having these "I don't know what I would have done otherwise" saving graces. Another one came up. I really had no idea how I was going to go on at this rate. Late nights, and that doesn't exactly make for good quality rehearsal time.

HOWEVER... I'm at home today! Well, I was. I guess technically it's after 5, but the point is that I worked on the show today. Turns out, unknown to me, that my animation studio gives friday afternoons off in summer?!?!

It was enough of a positive thing that I just got a new boost of energy, and enough of a breather that the impossible started to feel possible. Sure, I still have a ton to do, but it's coming together.

Shout outs!
Boon Chang, who brought over the projector this morning. Our rehearsal tomorrow will have a projector!
Kirsten Whitely, who's first year animation projects I'll be cutting into the show.
Tanya Robertson, who gave me a dance routine.
My bro- besides being a musician, he saved my butt by doing postering.
Nancy!
Kirk!
Gary!
My MAC- bought you in 2004 but you still got it baby!

Editing

I'm a little bit in editing hell right now. My animations look good (passable), but when I put them all together to make a scene... it's all going to crap. It's a problem and slowing me down.
Last night while I was trying different Premiere exports (and waiting for the always disappointing results) I got out the paint and added some details to a set piece. I didn't really think about it and then finally went to bed.
When I woke up in the morning, two things occurred to me:
1. Maybe I'm being a perfectionist about these exports and it's good enough (I could be perfecting my dance routine!)
2. The set piece looks great! I was working on it so mindlessly that when I woke up, it was pretty much like a fairy had visited in the night and made this cool thing.

I've been really stressed, but that's a good thing that happened :)

I Feel Fancy!

We got a choreographer in yesterday, and today, I had a very fancy singing lesson.

I can't believe how close the show is, and how much I have yet to do. Embarrassed to admit that I'm still editing video.

And then the projection screen. I found the saw and cut the dowling but now I need to like... buy nails. Okay, that's not too fancy.

Gimme an S... Stress!

Okay, it's hit: I'm officially stressed. I'm not sure if I should be. I'm not sure if everything is TOTALLY FINE... but the adrenaline has kicked in for sure, and I'll bet it will be here until showtime. I walked in and announced it, eyes popping, at rehearsal today, and got, "why?" But it paid off. We had a really good, sharp, rehearsal.

Tomorrow I start my new animation job. Same company, but different show, and a whole new building across town. Funny to note that I started a new job about a week before my workshop production as well!

I think the interview went okay. Having an outside eye in for part of the rehearsal definitely helped me. Especially when its being recorded for radio... You want every moment to be... good.

LIST OF EXCITEMENT

1. My costumes are finished and set is well on the way.

2. Voices- recorded! Sounding goood.

3. Musician Kevin Henkel (Also happens to be my bro) has completed the background music for an important song in the show. And I have decided... I will have maracas!

4. Posters and cards are sitting in my house (I need to get them "out there." This is a small pickle.)

5. People read this blog! They don't comment, but they're out there!

And...

Drumroll...

Today is an exciting day- I'm getting interviewed by the CBC for Metro Morning! I've been warned that it can hit the cutting room floor like anything else. But hey, the INTERVIEW is happening! Air date is planned for my show's opening day.

...And that day is less than 2 weeks from now. Eeeeeee!

Fun With Aerosol

Yesterday I went to the foam store to get set and costume foam. They used to have a huge sign that said "WE SELL FOAM!" that had been removed, so I drove past it a couple times. But- they still sell foam.

Yesterday I cut and glued the foam, (adhesive fumes=I invested in some masks after some serious head rush.) Now I just came in from painting it. Not only did I have just enough paint for what I was doing, but also just enough sunlight. As soon as I was done the job, a huge rain started coming down.

Now I have to go though audio takes.

I have an encouraging prospect on the media and promotions front that I'm very excited about.

I'm worried about my singing voice- strength. I get tired in rehearsal in general and tomorrow, (2 weeks till open) I'm going to start daily runs. As in put on sneakers and run. I'm pretty out of shape. Hopefully I can build up my voice as well with some exercises if it's not already too late.

Brisco Animation

Animation on Briso is going well... I'm half finished all the scenes. The thing about animation is that the more you do, the more reuse you have to draw from- so it gets progressively easier and faster towards the end.

My friend Rodrigo is going to be the voice. I haven't seen him in about 5 years but that doesn't matter. He flew in from Mexico this weekend and we're going to have lunch. Then I'm going to drag him to my house to do the voice record.

Rodrigo is very talented and an animation snob and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't even know how to use Flash- hand drawing only. Hopefully he won't be offended that I'm asking him to lend his voice to a computer made character.

Anyways, I need lunch, period. Social time!

Animating Brisco

So, the show features animation... we're going to have a projector, and "animating" is one of the many tasks on my to do list.

Tonight I'm working on Brisco the Lobster. Honestly, rehearsal today wasn't that fun- the lowest moment of my life, in slow motion, over and over again. First blocking... and then a screeching halt in progress. We couldn't decide whether the audience would find if comedic or dramatic, or whether we wanted it be comedic or dramatic. What we don't want is the audience laughing nervously because they don't know what to think. And during this discussion, me thinking back on this true life moment, that really, I'd rather not think about.

So! Cartoons! Yay! Here are some preliminary sketches of Brisco. I have to animate him in flash, not traditionally, because of time (thems the breaks.) So tonight the symbol breakdowns, if you know what I mean.

!

Ailsinn gives me crap if I walk in wearing the same clothes as yesterday... but I have a lot on my mind! Picking out clothes is too much to think about!

Clicking Along

It's amazing what a couple of uninterrupted days can do.

First of all, the graphic snafu got me really thinking about my "good" one- I like it! I got very stubborn, and decided to put it front and centre on everything, including the poster- it's just one big logo, essentially. Despite the princess photos, which are really interesting, I was having a hard time finding an image that says it all. There's a lot of different ideas in this play, so, why not give up and just go for an icon?

I want people to see it, poke their friend and say, "I saw that one, go see that"... and for the image to be strong enough that they wont forget what their friend was pointing to.

I finished the design of the posters and postcards and sent them off.

I have an idea to do a strip cartoon in the days leading up to the show. I wish... Though I do have to do all these character designs anyways for the show. It'd be so awesome if the design style extended to everything and the webpage featured these characters as well.

I did a rewrite on the script that I'm happy with. I'm guessing it's longer... I think we'll trim it on it's feet. I do have this idea of one extra song that lends to a recurring musical theme... but no melody has come to me yet :s I asked my musician brother for help... also... I'm sure it will come.

Made the facebook group- one member so far which I'm hoping means people don't have their invites yet???

And I'm about to start contacting the media.

This is tricky for me, and I did put it off a bit. I know that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is what makes the show unique and my obvious promotional "hook"- but I HATE talking about it. It's so far back in my past... and even when I had it, I never told anyone. I don't mind people who see the show knowing it, because they'll also learn a whole lot else about me... that I'm normal and friendly and entertaining. But there's something about contacting media outlets and going "Howdy! I'm OCD girl!" that makes me un- eas-y. Chances are they'll not have space for the story... but they will know "Amy Zuch is OCD girl."Or even anyone who picks up a promo card, but doesn't see the show.

Hopefully, in the very end, I'll just be known as "That girl with the really good show."

Blah

A bit of a low today... I picked up the Fringe Program (exciting moment!!) and found that the wrong graphic is in the show's description. I had submitted another graphic that had looked much better... but I guess there were crossed wires and so... wrong graphic.

Having a bad graphic reeeeelleee bothers me. The show is about an animator... so what does it say if the graphic implies, "it's about an animator who can't draw very well!" I'm the one person in the book who should have an OUTSTANDING graphic!

I'm wondering if I should change all the promotional materials I have to match the bad graphic (for consistency- since the program is the one thing I can't change) or if I should just go ahead like it doesn't exist. And I have to decide SOON. I was going to submit to my printer tomorrow.

This promotions stuff is tricky. There's what the show is, and then what people think when they see the imagery that promotes it... does it match? Does it matter?

Today we did a stumble through in front of the Stage Manager. Once I got home, I realized she's the first person to see the play who doesn't know me personally or from any other performance style. My first stranger. And she's a polite stranger so I have no idea how she feels!

I came up with a good idea for the set.

I got dumped yesterday.

But I did enjoy performing my improv show I did last night.

Ahhh

"Good."

Been gathering media... turns out my animator heart does have a pulse...

I Barely Left the House Today

When I'm busy, I never blog, it's only on the downtime I think to do it.

Excited for rehearsal tomorrow, and very excited about the new songs. So far, the arts and crafts, including the scoring of the original songs, seems feasible. And that's the most exciting thing. It's not too pie in the sky.

I think my brother will be helping me (sound engineer Kevin Henkel.) The show is pretty personal... but he's seen it so the most awkward part is over. Stuff you don't really want your BROTHER to see.

Saw the venue on Tuesday- very exciting; not at all what I expected. I heard it was hot because the air conditioning is loud. To the contrary, it's very clean and well air conditioned. Come to my show! It's cool!

I think at the start of this process, I was a bit overwhelmed by too much possibility... in the end, the rewrite is not TOO different from the original piece. I have ideas for what I'd like for a bigger production... but this isn't it. It's still a workshop venue with only 15 minutes set up time.

The workshop... worked. So why stray too far?

That being said, I pulled an all nighter last night tweaking the script and just finished now at 10 pm. It may be too long but we can work it on it's feet as well.

Lots to do every day. I haven't even made a facebook event yet!