Age and Acting

Hans Rosemond (aka Lloyd on STBD) turned 30 this weekend, which -- as is expected around "major birthdays" -- led to a bit of soul-searching on his part. Having recently turned 30 myself, I know the drill:

1) Realize Orson Welles directed Citizen Kane when he was 25.

2) Realize you haven't, and you're 30.

3) Drink a lot.

Old Is the New Young

Traditionally, actors tend to be a few years older than the characters they portray. The conventional wisdom here is, "You have to have lived THROUGH something in order to convince OTHERS that you're 'living through' it." (This would explain the careers of many Hollywood actors, who portray teenagers well through their first real-life divorces and / or plastic surgery mishaps.)

On Something to Be Desired, our cast also plays characters whose age differs from their own -- but not always in reverse. In fact, Ann Turiano (Caroline), Shaun Cameron Hall (Dean) and Will Guffey (Leo), among others, are all a year or two younger than the characters they portray.

However, the ambivalent passage of time on STBD means that the characters' ages are always a bit vague (i.e., Caroline may have graduated college in 2003, but that doesn't mean she's 26 now). Meanwhile, the actors still keeping aging like clockwork. This means that Ann Turiano is now likely older than Caroline, despite having been younger than Caroline when she began playing her.

And you thought The Simpsons had questionable chronology...

Don't Confuse Age With Experience

Just because an actor is a certain age, it doesn't mean he or she is naturally able to inhabit "younger" characters. Likewise, just because an actor is younger than a character on paper, it doesn't mean he / she can't play older.

The dividing line isn't age; it's experience.

On STBD, I was confident that Ann Turiano could play an older role, so Caroline was created with Ann's "mature" side in mind. Meanwhile, Dean and Leo have never been paragons of responsibility and common sense, so casting actors a year or two younger than the characters themselves seemed appropriate.

(Full disclosure: The characters of Dean and Leo were written as being 22-24 years old well before we actually considered casting. When I realized that the actors I could collaborate with were primarily college students, I resisted the idea of "younging up" the characters to match the actors' ages. Instead, I trusted that their skill would carry us through to believability.

I think we've done well thus far.)

And, if you need further proof that age is nothing but a number, think back again to Citizen Kane: Orson Welles may have been only 25 when he directed it, but he portrayed the title character throughout 60 years of the man's life. Now that's convincing acting. (And great makeup.)

Yahoo Loves STBD!

Erik Schark (aka Rich on STBD) and Rick Hertzig (aka Glenn) each noticed this bit of news today: Something to Be Desired is featured on Yahoo video's homepage, in both the "Channels" AND "Featured Videos" section -- which we think is very cool.

Interestingly, it just so happens that the main video being featured today on Yahoo is iJustine's new "MAC Workout" video. That means STBD and iJustine -- two Pittsburgh productions -- are getting Yahoo's love at the same time.

Who says you need to live on the coasts to be noticed?

STBD 5-10: Revealed!

The "Light-Up Night" episode was a great opportunity for us to showcase Downtown Pittsburgh in all its festive holiday glory... and to wrap up a loose end or two.

The Making of "Light-Up Night" involved:

- 7 scripted pages

- 5 improvised scenes

- 60 minutes of raw footage

- 2 shoots over 24 hours

- 2 voiceovers

- 12+ hours of editing

Fun Facts, Scene by Scene:

* Caroline (aka Ann Turiano) is wearing a pierogi t-shirt, courtesy of a soon-to-be-launched Pittsburgh apparel company who shall remain nameless for the next week or two... (Ask Mike Woycheck for details.)

* All of the dialogue between Tim (Ryan Ben) and Leo (Will Guffey) was improvised from a basic outline, as was the idea for them to play a carnival game. Tim accidentally winning a one-armed bear? That was serendipity; the woman working the carnival booth asked Ryan to choose something from a shady box they kept under the counter, and he accidentally took a damaged prize.

* Improvised as well was the scene between Caroline and Todd (Matt Pavlosky) on Mount Washington. Matt happened to be drinking there with friends and we plucked him from the bar (Redbeard's) for an impromptu scene, hours after Light-Up night had concluded.

* If it looks like Leo is burning his S'mores beyond repair, that's because he was... More surprisingly, Ryan Ben (Tim) had never had a S'mores before, and wasn't sure how to make them. (Hopefully he didn't study Leo too closely...)

* To save on downtown parking hassles, Ryan Ben (Tim), Will Guffey (Leo) and Ann Turiano (Caroline) all carpooled down in director Justin Kownacki's car. While Ann and Rick Hertzig (Rick) were filming the final downtown scene of the night, Will was in charge of getting Justin's car out of the parking garage and navigating the traffic / pedestrian / construction hell of Downtown Pittsburgh during Light-Up Night. (Remarkably, he found streetside parking one block from the "big freaking tree," on 6th and Penn.)

* Although Dierdre's arrival under the "big freaking tree" is the last scene of the episode, it was the first scene we filmed. That's because Lacey Fleming, who plays Dierdre, had to race home to Ohio to prepare for a family wedding the next day. That scene was actually filmed 90 minutes before the Glenn / Caroline scene that immediately precedes it.

* All music included in this episode actually comes from Ed Roberts's incredibly useful Podsafe Christmas podcast, which returns with all new music immediately after this year's Thanksgiving! Thanks for the great finds, Ed!

* Several hours' worth of editing on this episode took place on an Amtrak train between Boston, MA, and Bridgeport, CT. Did you know Amtrak has power outlets for every seat on its trains? The STBD laptop (and its 1 hour battery) thank you, Amtrak...

STBD Shoot at Light-Up Night This Friday

Several of the STBD cast members will be on-hand for a live, semi-improvised shoot during Light-Up Night this Friday in downtown Pittsburgh. Rumor has it that veteran podcaster C.C. Chapman might be in town from Boston that night and making an STBD cameo appearance as well.

If you'll be downtown for light-up night, keep your eyes open for Caroline, Tabitha and the rest of the STBD cast! Say hello (and buy us hot drinks - it'll be about 35 degrees that night)!

STBD 5-9: Revealed!

The "Car Trouble" episode is a classic example of the STBD cast being able to create a solid episode even everything else goes wrong...

The Making of "Car Trouble" involved:

- 9 scripted pages

- 2 largely improvised scenes

- 48 minutes of raw footage

- 3 shoots over 24 hours

- 12+ hours of editing

Fun Facts, Scene by Scene:

* This episode wasn't even supposed to happen.

The original plan was to film the party itself, which Pryce (Trent Wolfred) is trying to bring everyone to. But a funny thing happened on the way to the party - we ran out of extras.

Suddenly, we had a filming date set, a location, and not enough extras to make it look like the type of party we'd planned for. So, we went with our backup plan: there's no need to show the party if the guests can't actually make it TO the party...

* Both Trent Wolfred and Rick Hertzig (Glenn) had other commitments on the day we filmed, so we couldn't begin filming with them until after 10 PM.

By that time, it was about 32 degrees outside... (That's the freezing point, for you Celsius fans...)

* While the news coverage of Luke Ravenstahl's mayoral victory speech was being recorded off the TV, a steam radiator in the same room began spewing intermittent heat blasts. There was no way to turn it off in time, so you can hear some of the noise during Ravenstahl's speech. [Of course, it's logical to presume Rich (Erik Schark) would have steam heat...]

* When we filmed the flashback of Leo gassing up his car while it was still running, we looked everywhere for a sign that said: "Please turn off car before fueling." Wasn't that a standard warning over the years? The station we were at had no mention of it -- and Will Guffey (Leo) had never heard that bit of wisdom, either. Are we deluded, or is the explosive potential of fuel-meeting-combustion no longer an issue?

* Dierdre and Glenn's final exchange was quasi-improvised. The scene wasn't scripted, so we saved it for last to make sure their energies matched what they were doing in the earlier scenes. When the camera's battery died at 1 AM, we retreated to the Creative Treehouse to recharge it and plan the scene.

* Filming for this episode wrapped around 2 AM - our latest shoot of the year. (And our coldest!)

Two Episodes Left...

... until our next hiatus. (Time flies when you're creating a weekly web series.)

In the interim between 10-episode arcs, we'll still be posting a new video every Monday. But instead of actual episodes, these will be interviews, behind-the-scenes stuff, and the occasional ultra-brief (one minute or less) "microsodes."

In that spirit: what would YOU like to see during our "break"?

Which cast members would like to see interviewed?

What questions would you like answers to?

Which characters would you like deeper, one-minute glimpses into?

Leave suggestions in the comments or email jkownacki [at] somethingtobedesired [dawt] com.

STBD 5-8: Revealed!

It's not every day that a local politician has the self-confidence AND self-deprecation to lampoon himself on a weekly web sitcom, but that's exactly what Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto did in this week's episode of Something to Be Desired.

The Making of "The Mathis / Peduto Debate" involved:

- 4 (loosely) scripted pages

- 90% improvisation

- 45 minutes of raw footage

- 1 three-hour shoot

- 7+ hours of editing

Fun Facts, Scene by Scene:

* The seed for this episode was planted way back in June, when Mr. Peduto was initially introduced to STBD by his friends who work in social media (via the iJustine / Matthew Ebel episode). He mentioned that he'd like to make a cameo appearance, but we weren't sure how to include him in the flow of the show. However, when we hit upon the Mathis 4 Mayor idea, a debate with Peduto seemed like a natural opportunity...

* The entire episode was filmed in the basement of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, which houses a TV studio for the video production students.

* When Roger (Chadd Zivic) pops in on Bill to prep him for the sound check, Bill is perusing Reform Pittsburgh, the videoblog / political activism site he co-authors.

* Roger's lanyard is the same one STBD creator Justin Kownacki wore at PodCamp Boston 2 two weekends ago. (We suspected it would come in handy again...)

* Moderator Jill Wright is portrayed by Dawn Papuga, co-host of the literary blog / podcast Lyrique Tragedy.

* The Coalition of Ethical Voters is a fictional organization created by STBD fan Brendan Butt, who devised the first (and, thus far, only) Mathis "smear campaign" video.

* The debate itself was almost entirely improvised, and filmed out of order. The responses to Jill's questions are not always the intended responses, nor were the exchanges between Mathis and Peduto always filmed concurrently. Editing creates a whole 'nother reality, folks...

* Actor Rick Hertzig (aka Glenn) volunteered his time to keep track of continuity during the debate. His notes during the improvised sessions enabled Dawn to craft her questions after the candidates had already given their answers.

* The bra-laden cup holder Rich (Erik Schark) lovingly strokes while Peduto introduces himself is the same cupholder Rich lovingly strokes in Episode 5-5, when he and Tabitha (Courtney Jenkins) are filming his campaign ads. In reality, that cupholder remained in Justin Kownacki's car for a month, awaiting its return engagement...

* Nearly all of Tabitha, Liz (Jennifer Koegler) and Roger's dialogue in the booth was improvised as well.

* We would have turned on the TV screens in the booth, but none of us knew how and there were no technologists in the building. Thus, we decided not to break anything.

* Rich's reference to Planet Unicorn is an homage to the greatest web series ever (besides STBD). Rich can actually be heard singing the theme song to himself when he walks in on Caroline (Ann Turiano) and Tabitha in this year's STBD Halloween Special flashback.

* The ending, in which Peduto quits politics altogether, was actually Peduto's idea, suggested at the beginning of filming. He thought it satirically echoed his withdrawal from this year's actual mayoral race.

STBD: Your Cure for the Writer's Strike?

We'd never presume to serve as the salve for those craving one more finely crafted episode of "According to Jim," but apparently a few people think Something to Be Desired is a show that just might satisfy those who find their TV is even more barren a wasteland than normal during the Hollywood writer's strike.

And when one of those people happens to write the official Yahoo Video blog, we kind of think that rocks.

Check out the other shows listed (if you haven't already) and see if you can find enough fuel to survive the interminable silence between professionally written episodes of "Deal or No Deal."

STBD Fan Video: Coalition of Ethical Voters!

In case you were wondering, the Coalition of Ethical Voters (who sponsor this week's Mathis / Peduto debate) is a fictional organization created by STBD fans in this "smear campaign" video intended to warn the public about the ills of Rich Mathis...

(Note: The above link leads to a large AVI file - may not be compatible with all browsers.)

STBD Season Five: Halloween Special Revealed!

For the second year in a row, we've rallied the troops to create a rocking Halloween Special just in the nick of time! Despite the epic-length shoots, bad directions and several buckets of blood later, we think the finished episode turned out quite well!

The Making of the Season Five Halloween Special involved:

- 17 scripted pages

- 1 significantly improvised scene

- 2 hours of raw footage

- 7 shoots over 5 days

- 16+ hours of editing

Fun Facts, Scene by Scene:

* Initially, cast members Rick Hertzig (Glenn), Courtney Jenkins (Tabitha), Trent Wolfred (Pryce) and Ann Turiano (Caroline) worked with creator Justin Kownacki to develop ideas for a vampire-themed episode. When we couldn't agree on one specific script, each contributor wrote 1 or 2 outlines, the best portions of which were combined into one script -- primarily based upon Courtney's outline.

* The original script ran 17 pages and included a lot of screen time for Tim (played by Ryan Ben). But when Ryan's availability dried up due to a stage play he'd been cast in, the script was rewritten on the fly to excuse his absence.

* The episode opens with Dierdre (Lacey Fleming) taking photos in a graveyard. We'd been given directions to an "old cemetery" in Bellevue -- but, when we followed them, we wound up on the private property of a convent. There was a graveyard there, but it was chock full of (deceased) nuns. Feeling this was a bad location for a vampire spoof, we drove on and found the graveyard you see in the episode.

* The "meat" Dierdre eats in the kitchen is actually wheat bread soaked with fake blood.

* The two angles of Caroline stumbling upon Dierdre in the kitchen -- Caroline's and Dierdre's -- were filmed 9 hours apart; Dierdre was not present during Caroline's angle.

* When Caroline wakes up in bed, she's fallen asleep reading a copy of The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins -- a work that seeks to disprove the existence of God.

* Liz was mauled by Caroline in record time -- actress Jennifer Koegler had tickets to see a stage production of "12 Angry Men" 20 minutes after that shot was filmed.

* The makeup for all 4 vamps was created by Ann Turiano. (Yep, Caroline herself.) That makeup also had to be recreated for 3 separate days of filming.

* When Glenn enters Affogato, he's greeted telepathically by 3 of the 4 vamps -- but not Dierdre (listen closely -- we never recorded her audio).

* If you look closely, you can see Tabitha and Liz looming in the window behind Glenn as the men plot their defense in the courtyard.

* The "go on three" exchange between Rich (Erik Schark), Leo (Will Guffey) and Glenn was completely improvised, several times over. The best portions were included in the finished sequence.

* Rick Hertzig (Glenn) spent the better part of a day whittling the handles of a hammer and a plunger into stakes -- on his own time.

* Liz's "burning" reaction to the holy water? Baking soda, food coloring and vinegar.

* Leo stabs Tabitha with the utility knife usually kept in the trusty STBD camera bag (which he also uses to whittle stakes in the men's room). Makeup artists Jim Schmeichel and Ashley Leshen took great care to keep the tool intact for future use, but it was errantly left in the camera bag and confiscated during a routine security check at the JFK airport in New York City the following weekend. Oops.

* Leo clubs Caroline with a hammer, but he makes impact with a dummy's head wearing a wig. Unfortunately, actor Will Guffey missed the mark on the dummy's head and failed to trigger the blood packet attached underneath.

* Leo then stabs Dierdre in the back with the same hammer -- which, in closeup, is actually a piece of cardboard with Dierdre's fishnet shirt stretched across it and a blood packet rigged underneath.

* Liz's scarred arm, the aftermath of the holy water burns, was a latex application created from scratch in the back room of Affogato and applied over 30 minutes.

* When Dierdre bites Glenn, she doesn't actually have vampire fangs. That's because she wouldn't have been able to get a grip on the blood tube running up Glenn's neck. Unfortunately, the tube was attached a little too securely, and actress Lacey Fleming couldn't dislodge it with her teeth. This created an FX misfire, which led to the same shot being filmed two nights in a row. Footage from each take was used.

* When Leo stakes Dierdre with the Mathis 4 Mayor sign, he's actually shoving the stake-tipped end of the sign post through another cardboard / mesh / blood packet contraption rigged by the makeup artists. (And the staking was actually performed by Rick Hertzig, as Will Guffey had already left the set.)

* For the wide shot, in which the audience sees the sign run through Dierdre from front and back, Lacey Fleming was fitted with a waist-only harness that supported the severed ends of a second, "prop" version of the sign. That harness prevented Lacey's full range of motion, requiring Rick Hertzig to help her to the ground even as Glenn himself was dying off-camera.

* The finished episode was edited over the course of 7 days, including several "bursts" conducted in the hallway at PodCamp Boston 2 (and in the car en route).

* The music for this episode was graciously donated by local Pittsburgh artist Paralyzed Circuitry and nearby label High Noon Records -- the latter of whom came through with great tracks via email just as editing was wrapping up. Perfect timing!

Questions? Comments? Leave them below!

STBD 5-5: Revealed!

This week's episode of STBD was a drastic departure from the norm. How so? Read on...

The Making of "Pittsburgh Politics" involved:

- 3 scripted "PSAs"

- 9 improvised sequences (of which, 5 made the final cut)

- 30 minutes of raw footage

- 1 shoot in 1 day

- 6+ hours of editing

Fun Facts, Scene by Scene:

* This entire episode was filmed in one day -- the Sunday before the epsiode went live. (Actually, filming only took three hours, including driving time.)

* The PSAs were scripted. Everything else was improvised by Erik Schark (aka Rich Mathis) and Courtney Jenkins (Tabitha), with minimal direction from yours truly.

* We purposely diverged from the standard STBD "look" to obtain a more "documentary" feel, which necessitated the removal of the opening credits sequence.

* The piece of cheesecake Rich devours really did cost more than $8...

* This episode is only the second, ever (that we're aware of) that DOESN'T feature Leo, Caroline or Dierdre in some capacity. (The first? Episode 4-28, which revolves entirely around Tim's romantic duel with guest stars iJustine and Matthew Ebel.)

STBD's "How to Make a Web Series" Session from PodCamp

At PodCamp Pittsburgh 2, STBD creator Justin Kownacki hosted a session on how to create a sustainable web series.

Alterna-tv's Tony Letizia was in attendance, and he wrote up a lengthy recap of that session here.

“All social media, whether it’s journalism, whether it is a family blog, whatever it is, everything that’s been successful has been successful because you’re telling a story,” [Kownacki] remarked. (More)

STBD 5-4: Revealed!

This week's episode of STBD included some brand new locations, a cameo appearance and the return of a missing cast member. (Not bad for 8 and a half minutes!)

The Making of "Creative or Desperate?" involved:

- 2 mostly-scripted scenes

- 1 mostly-improvised scene

- 1.5 hours of raw footage

- 3 shoots in 3 days

- 10+ hours of editing

Fun Facts, Scene by Scene:

* When STBD first began in 2003, Lacey Fleming (aka Dierdre) smoked a lot more than she does now. In fact, she's nearly quit entirely several times, only to complicate things when Dierdre is asked to smoke on-camera...

* Brent's entry-level fraternity task of calling strange women and asking them for naked photos is directly inspired by a similar type of phone call someone in my own family received this summer. (In case you're wondering, that caller struck out too.)

* The 24 Hour Creative Marathon at Creative Treehouse took place overnight on Sept 28-29. We filmed the scene of Pryce and Caroline working through creator's block at 11 PM on Friday night, and then I edited the entire sequence together, minus the music track, by morning.

I had to leave for Connecticut at 12:30 PM on Saturday, so I transferred all assets from the Final Cut Pro project to my laptop (with its broken monitor) and finished the episode at 3 AM Monday morning.

All of that would explain the original typo in the episode's title, "Creative OF Desperate?," which was typed, bleary-eyed, at 4 AM...

Mathis 4 Mayor: We Need YOU!

On November 6, the people of Pittsburgh will vote someone into office as the next mayor... and we here at STBD strongly believe it should be Rich Mathis!

(Never mind that he doesn't technically exist -- honestly, how is that worse than most politicians who DO exist?)

As such, we're helping Rich develop his campaign, which includes:

* The Mathis 4 Mayor campaign wiki -- where YOU can help Rich craft his inevitable takeover of the Pittsburgh government!

* A Mathis 4 Mayor MySpace page!

* A (currently limited) selection of t-shirts!

PLUS, we're helping Rich conduct his search for cheerleaders! No, not lame interns who'll go door-to-door with flyers and posters and homemade buttons, but ACTUAL CHEERLEADERS, who'll garner far more public attention than mere politics ever will.

(As Rich himself says: "If the Pittsburgh Steelers can have Steely McBeam, I can have... the Mathisettes!")

Want to help Rich take over Pittsburgh? Follow the links above and get on board the Mathis train!

STBD 5-3: Revealed!

This week's episode of STBD lays the groundwork for Rich Mathis's run for mayor -- as well as explaining Todd's recent bout with homelessness.

It's also only 5 minutes long, which signals a slight shift in STBD thinking -- shorter, more tightly-packed episodes (that are a bit easier to produce, week after week). Tell us what you think!

The Making of "Mathis 4 Mayor" involved:

- 1 hour of raw footage

- 1 shoot (since the Todd sequence was a holdover from last week's episode)

- 12+ hours of editing

Fun Facts, Scene by Scene:

* Believe it or not, this ENTIRE episode was improvised by the cast (with minimal direction and suggestion from yours truly).

The only elements that were even semi-scripted (meaning, the actors were given specific prompts to include) were the reasons for Todd's descent into homelessness and the general structure of the Mathis campaign meeting. EVERYTHING else came from the cast.

* Funny thing about editing so much improvised footage: it takes forever. That's because the camera is almost never in the right place, nor do the various "takes" always match up.

But the most exciting (and difficult) thing about carving this episode down from so much improv was deciding what the story actually IS. Depending on what dialogue was kept, and used in what order, the meaning of certain sequences could be completely reversed.

Example: when Rich initially lures Liz and Caroline into the boardroom by way of brownies, they quickly find themselves embroiled in Rich's impotent political scheming. But, as filmed, Liz and Caroline actually walked out of the room, and Rich had to track them down later in the day, apologize, and make them wildly impossible promises, just so they'd return and take him seriously.

Realizing that entire sequence slowed the pace of this now-taut episode, I needed to cut it -- but I had nothing to cut TO. We never filmed anything that suggested the girls actually STAY in the room (or sit down).

So, when sifting through dialogue, I located the sequence where Liz says "Rich, we have work to do," and I went hunting for something Rich could use as a filibuster to keep them occupied. Instead, I found the clip where he starts raving about his passion for "a parklet on every corner - YES" and I realized, "when edited in THIS order, it makes it sound like he's deluded himself into believing Liz is actually on his side..."

After that, it made perfect sense for Rich to keep rambling, and for the girls to stick around out of morbid curiosity.

* Many, MANY lines were cut from Rich's brainstorming session. Suffice it to say, there are only so many people we could offend (and so many bad ideas we could pitch) in a 3 minute sequence...

(My personal favorite line that didn't make the cut comes when Rich mentions "kissing babies," and Liz reminds him, "They have laws about that now." To which Rich turns to the whiteboard and writes, "Change the child touching laws...")

* Despite its brevity, the episode was still posted later than we would have liked... because we had to make a Mathis4Mayor wiki, a MySpace page and t-shirts. (We take our politics VERY seriouslly...)

* We have no idea what a sugarshoe is, either...

Techburgh Interviews STBD

Andy Quayle and Kaylynn at Techburgh interviewed STBD creator Justin Kownacki and actor Will Guffey (Leo) last week at the Creative Treehouse.

Hear Justin pontificate about the future of web media while laying prone on a couch in a horribly unflattering position! Thrill as Will hones his repertoire for that eventual Inside the Actor's Studio visit. Fame, thy name is Techburgh...

STBD 5-2: Revealed!

This week's episode of STBD included some brand new locations, a cameo appearance and the return of a missing cast member. (Not bad for 8 and a half minutes!)

The Making of "Leo's Lucky Day" involved:

- 4 versions of a script

- 1.5 hours of raw footage

- 5 shoots in 4 days

- 18+ hours of editing

Fun Facts, Scene by Scene:

* STBD creator Justin Kownacki and actor Will Guffey (aka Leo Straub) were interviewed by Andy Quayle and Kaylynn for the Techburgh podcast last week. Immediately afterward, they returned the favor by appearing on STBD as Leo's number one fan and uninterested bus stop denizen, respectively.

* The bus stop that opens the episode is in Squirrel Hill, but the stop Leo is waiting at is in Bellevue...

* When Dierdre mentions she's still in school, Caroline's shock and surprise really mirrors that of the entire STBD creative team; we'd completely forgotten Dierdre was still in school all these years, until Lacey Fleming (Dierdre) mentioned it in a story meeting...

* The new Vanity Press meeting room and break room are located inside The Art Institute of Pittsburgh... because the original Vanity Press location has been long gone (to us, anyway).

* Gloria's pills? Actually Vitamin C tablets...

* Rich's admonition for Gloria to "Apologize!" to his manhood? Improvised.

* Todd living homeless behind Affogato? Invented, literally, the day of filming when Matt Pavlosky (Todd) mentioned he was available.

STBD 5-1: Revealed!

On Tuesdays this season, we'll be revealing some of the behind-the-scenes commotion involved in the making of each week's episode.

The Making of "Rich's Little Problem" involved:

- 7 versions of a 17-page script (eventually trimmed to 14)

- 2+ hours of raw footage

- 7 different shooting days

- 18+ hours of editing

- 3 unused (or severely edited) scenes

Fun Facts, scene by scene:

* The stoplight that opens the episode was filmed at the corner of Murray and Forbes, in Squirrel Hill. However, Rich and Caroline's car is stopped on a dead-end street in Highland Park.

* The audio in the opening scene is dicey because there were cicadas chirping near Rich's window and children on a trampoline near Caroline's. That background noise was reduced as much as possible.

* Courtney Jenkins (aka Tabitha) was late to the "lunch" shoot... because she got pulled over on Bigelow Boulevard for speeding... because she was late for the "lunch" shoot... (Cost of ticket: $55)

* Rich's "Umbrella" line was improvised.

* The "manuscript" Caroline is editing at her desk is actually a play that Ann Turiano (Caroline) is evaluating for a local theatre company.

* Rick Hertzig (Glenn) and Ryan Ben (Tim) were never in Affogato at the same time. Their shoots took place on completely different days.

* Ryan had to grow a beard for his role as Jesus in a play for the New Works Festival. The festival ended the week we were filming, but we couldn't time the shoot to coincide, so Tim had to be bearded for once.

* Caroline and Pryce had a completely scripted "date" that was cut due to time constraints.

* Rich's "Mathis 4 Mayor" sign was hand-scrawled on the back of an Amanda Across America poster, which we were sent by mistake when Blip.TV sponsored PodCamp Pittsburgh 2 in August. We hung the banner up, only to realize afterward that they sent it to us by mistake (they meant to send one with the Blip logo). After Dina Kaplan at Blip assured us she didn't need it back, we decided to pay homage to it in the episode.

Rewrites and the 10 Minute Rule

I'll be editing a rough cut of our next episode today. I say "rough" because not every scene has been filmed yet, so any estimation of time is an educated guess at this point.

But that's exactly what I'm looking for.

The script for this episode clocked in at 17 pages, which translates (again, roughly) to 12 or 13 minutes. (In theory, a properly-formatted screenplay page should equal a minute of screen time; our scripts always run faster.)

But we've had to reschedule a few shoots, and now a couple scenes will need to be rewritten / replaced to accommodate existing timeframes. That's fine -- but I need to know how much time I have left to play with.

So I'll drop all filmed scenes into a timeline, find a useable take of each one -- straight through, from beginning to end, no edits -- and time that footage out. Subtract from 10:00, which is our maximum episode length, and voila: I'll know exactly how much time I have left to fiddle with.

(The converse of this approach would be filming everything in the script and then some, as we usually do, and then trying to decide what scenes will live or die in the editing process. Not as fun, and invariably leads to the "Hey, whatever happened to that scene?" questions...)

Video Production Snooze Alarm

Glenn (Rick Hertzig) and Dierdre (Lacey Fleming) wonder what took so long...
What happens when you hit "snooze" once, wake up ten minutes later, and realize you can STILL get to work on time?

If you're like most people, you hit snooze twice, sleep for TWENTY more minutes, and find a way to get to work on time.

Then THIRTY minutes.

How This Applies to Web Video:

In 2005, we started filming Season Three of Something to Be Desired in May.

In 2006, we started filming Season Four in June.

In 2007, we started filming Season Five... yesterday.

Call it cavalier disregard for conventional wisdom. Call it execrable time management.

I call it learned behavior from a lifetime of hitting the snooze alarm...

The Incredible Shrinking / Expanding Cast!

When STBD began, we had 8 cast members.

4 years later, we have over 25.

On one hand, it's incredibly gratifying to know that so many talented actors want to be a part of the STBD experience. On the other, it's daunting to juggle so many cast members (and their schedules), because it makes focusing on a condensed (and achievable) story that much harder.

When we surveyed our fans back in February, we learned what we pretty much expected: Caroline, Dierdre and Leo -- our three longest-running characters -- resonate the most with the audience. Of the newer characters, Rich and Tim seemed to stick in the audience's minds the most. The rest are seen as "supporting characters" -- at least until they have more opportunities to shine.

Off-Season Switcheroo

When we return with new episodes of Season Five in September, several of last season's cast members won't be returning. Most have moved away from Pittsburgh, which is hard to argue against (since we're not paying them). Series-wise, their absence may actually be a blessing in disguise, because it dulls the fight for screen time and allows us to focus on the characters the audience is already responding to.

Meanwhile, we're adding at least one new recurring character and expanding the role of another significantly. Why? Because we appreciate the value of two elements on STBD:

A) The continual need for "fresh blood," and

B) The need to be able to tell certain types of stories.

So we looked around and said, "What character TYPES are we missing?" And then we evaluated the actors we've underused, or those who've been patiently waiting off-camera for a chance to act on the show, to see who might be able to fit our potential needs.

The (Too) Big Picture?

Under these circumstances, it's far too easy to have a cast balloon to unmanageable proportions. It's doubly dangerous because, unpaid, there's no guarantee that actors we've come to rely upon to tell our story will actually be there for the long haul. This makes telling a concise story with a reliable payoff quite dicey.

If you're evaluating potential actors, or merely wondering how many roles you CAN include in your story, stop and ask yourself a more pertinent question: How many roles do you NEED to tell your story?

In web video, as in all things, keeping it simple will save you acres of headaches later.

(And, as in all things, always be open to taking a chance. You never know what casting choice or character invention might pay off in unexpected ways.)

Location Is Everything: 5 Tips for Location Filming

Since anyone can pick up a camera and start shooting web video today, it's increasingly important to find an edge that helps distinguish you from your competition -- which is everyone ELSE with a camera.

At STBD, one of our assets is location -- both the city itself (which is highly cinematic) and our recurring cluster of unusual indoor locations (the WANT FM radio station, the Affogato cafe, etc.).

When you're considering filming in a location, here are 5 questions to keep in mind:

1. How "Available" Is This Location?

A lot of small business owners are keen on supporting social media in exchange for some extra exposure (and the cachet that comes from knowing the cool, cutting edge media makers). But not everyone wants to make this a weekly proposition.

Treat every opportunity as if it will be a one-time thing. If you (and the location owner) have a positive experience, THEN you can discuss the possibility of a recurring arrangement. But don't plan on having 24 hour access to a location, write a number of scripts under that presumption... and then destroy your relationship with the location owner on the first day.

2. How Flexible / Creative Can You Be in the Location?

One reason we love filming in Affogato is because it offers so many options for plot / character situations. ANYONE could be in Affogato for ANY reason at ANY time of day. And, as a "public" location, it enables us to introduce new characters and cameo appearances with little need for justification or planning (since every cafe has random customers).

Conversely, when we've filmed in Torque Denim or Pavement Shoes, we've had a limited window for filming (usually an hour before they open), and we've had to work around their employees / interns, which creates an additional logistical challenge. Is that challenge worth it? Depends on what you can achieve within those limitations...

(Side note: Versatility in a location is underrated. We filmed the "Caroline Meets Lloyd" episode in a utilitarian space in the South Side Works that happened to be serving as a makeshift art gallery at the time. That same week, we realized we needed to re-shoot part of the "Caroline and Rich at the elevator" sequence from the first episode of Season Four... but we no longer had access to the original location. Fortunately the "art gallery" had generic white walls -- similar to the elevator location -- so we faked the re-shoot there instead. [Whew.])

3. How Often Do You NEED This Location?

Just because you CAN film in a location on a regular basis doesn't mean you NEED to -- or that you SHOULD.

One of the easiest places to film is a cast or crew member's apartment. It's usually available on short notice AND at all hours of the day (or night) -- but how interesting is it to a viewer? As often as web video producers resort to their own apartments as a backdrop, yours is going to need to be particularly amazing to stand out from the crowd.

On the other hand, if you DID have recurring access to an unusual space -- a deli, a factory, an antique store -- COULD you find a way to make that a more integral part of your story? Unique is good, but well-utilized uniqueness is better.

4. What Noise Issues Are Involved?

Fans, coolers, traffic, overhead lighting, nearby humans -- all of these things (and more) can create audio nightmares. How much can you turn off / turn down / tune out?

At Affogato, we turn off the coolers, but the fridge in back cannot be shut off. Thus, we have to strip that hum out in post. The cappuccino machine also "cycles," and occasionally "clicks" during a line of dialogue. By and large, we leave that in because it sounds natural, given the location. (Plus, it's too much work to re-record dialogue to avoid "clicks," though we have done it on occasion...)

Oh, and if you turn off coolers, refrigerators, etc., PLEASE turn them back on when you're finished...

5. What Crowd Issues Are Involved?

If you're shooting while a location is open, you may have to film around employees, customers or the general public. These people will not always be quiet while you're filming. If you can't silence the masses, can you make use of their idle chatter?

If you intend to leave the public in your shots, you'll want to have them sign a release form allowing you to use their image / voice in your production. You can also hang up a sign or two (in a WELL-TRAFFICKED area) that states, "Anyone entering these premises during filming MAY appear in the finished production," which implies consent on the part of those who may wander through.

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Locations can help your production seem larger and more interesting than a simple "indoor apartment" shoot -- but only if the locations are utilized properly. Don't make more work for yourself than you ALREADY have when producing web video: be smart about your locations, and let THEM work for YOU.

The Trouble with Beards...

We were supposed to resume filming this week for STBD, but there's a hiccup -- Ryan Ben (aka Tim) -- informed me that he's been instructed to keep a "poorly assembled beard" for his role in a stage play that runs through August.

Neither of us likes the idea of Tim with facial hair -- especially because I hate seeing characters change appearances for one episode, seemingly for no reason -- but we can't NOT film with Ryan until September, since we're due to have 3 episodes under our belt in the next month.

What to do?

I mentioned this to Rick Hertzig, who plays Glenn, via email when I explained we would NOT be filming tonight. His response?

Tim could be...

- preparing for his role as the apostle Paul in the church choir's upcoming cantata.

- trying to impress a girl who belittled his suspected inability to grow facial hair.
- preparing for an upcoming family camping trip: he has a list of things he's going to do to prove to his family that he is a manly man after an embarrassing episode last year (wet his sleeping bag, got lost in the woods and was found crying, screamed and ran from a chipmunk, etc.)

- trying to disguise himself, hiding from someone... someone from his past, a creepy guy on the bus who keeps coming on to him, an ex-girlfriend from vacation bible school who is now stalking him?

Leave it to the cast to solve my problems...

The Fear of Going Down

When we're "in season," we usually receive daily feedback on STBD. When we're not, there's an obvious lull in feedback. We also don't have a reason to check our stats on a regular basis, since we're not expecting any traffic bumps.

So, essentially, we could let the site coast on autopilot for weeks at a time.

Thus, my daily obsession with checking to ensure that the site is still up. Because God forbid we actually get distracted by production (or relaxation), only to find out that we've been offline for days at a time...

Something tells me we need a daily component to the site / blog, so I can be productive in my paranoia...

Keeping Notes Only Works If You Read Them

Like most writers, I keep a notebook -- or forty. Most of them are filled with ideas for STBD -- character notes, story ideas, slivers of scenes and dialogue.

A lot of what I write down is what I've overheard while writing in public. Very often, a passing car or an overheard conversation in a cafe will prompt a (seemingly) good idea that I'll jot down with the intention of returning to later...

... except I rarely do.

For some reason, I have REAMS of notebooks filled with ideas, and I hardly ever return to them. It's almost as if, by committing them to paper once, I expect to remember them forever.

And, oddly, I usually do. In fact, most of the primary ideas for STBD have been around for years, and new concepts that seem hot will usually stick in my mind for months afterwards, waiting for a chance to be manifested in the show.

But, as I learned yesterday, there are exceptions to this pattern.

Ideas Are Like Wine... or Cheese...

I was staying at a hotel without my standard (current) notebook, so I went to the car for my Emergency Travel Notebook instead. Upon opening it, I realize I haven't written in it since April of 2006 -- well over a year. More surprising was the quality of the ideas that were trapped in its pages, many of which had never been transferred elsewhere -- including into the show.

Among these ideas:

- If I were to restart STBD from scratch -- what would I do differently?

- Dozens of notes written from the character Glenn's POV -- none of which have been used on the show.

- Dozens more ideas meant to add depth and a sense of place to both the radio station and the cafe -- none of which have been used on the show.

Part of the reason these ideas might seem more worthwhile now is that they've had time to age. It's often hard to gauge the quality of a new idea upon inception, because you have nothing to compare it to except the endless possibilities of the future. Instead, deciding on one course -- and then looking back to see how other paths might have fared -- affords me the proper perspective to say, "This would have worked much better," or, "We should DEFINITELY do this next."

So now I'm thinking: I have several dozen notebooks in this apartment. I wonder how much gold is waiting to be mined within their pages...