Last weekend (August 5-7), I was part of an experience that I will always remember. I was an actor in "Last Action Zero," a film short made by Team Shock and Awe (E.T. and several other people who made this feel like a true professional experience). Thanks to everyone involved in this amazing, democratic (note lower case "d") effort. And I also want to give props and hugs to martacycle , who put up with --- and even encouraged --- my involvement with the project on her birthday weekend!

The film is a short subject made as part of the 2005 48 Hour Film Project, a national competition in which teams deliver a completed film within that time frame. Just before 7:00 p.m. Friday, the official starting time, our team drew action/adventure as our genre. We brainstormed story ideas Friday night and began filming Saturday morning. In a true act of serendipity, a stunt coordinator who had just relocated to Portland from Hollywood overheard Team S&A planning over food and beverages and asked if we could use his help. The guy is legit, and his credits on imdb.com include "Spiderman."

We finished on time and I am happy with the results. Our short screened as part of the competition on Saturday night at Portland's Hollywood Theater. Although I was unable to attend, some of our team did, and here is one member's take: "About 1/4 of the audience laughed at all the right points, and the woman sitting right behind me howled through the whole thing. The whole audience seemed to love Elizabeth kicking Joseph in the face and spraying him with mace (Well, who wouldn't? --- rubber_dali). Someone actually said "Oh no!" out loud during the kick. I felt proud that we got such a strong reaction to that moment. The only moment that didn't get a laugh that I thought was funny was the wide shot of Joseph doing that ridiculous run down Sandy."


Those who know me will get to watch my DVD copy very soon. And you know the kick/mace bit from the previous paragraph piques your interest . . .