Hard to believe that a month and a half of work can be summed up in such short episodes! But what a month and a half it was…(fade to blurry with harp string notes)
Imagine if you will the middle of August. Remember how hot that was? Good. Now imagine me at my cottage, relaxing in the sun, roasting marshmellows at a bon fire….got that? Now imagine one night my phone getting an email that went like this:
“Okay, so here’s the deal. We’ve written a musical called Nanowrimo the Musical (national novel writing month if you haven’t heard of it). Basically, we’re going to shoot it as a six-part web series. Fair warning, it’s a pretty rag tag operation. l’ve roped Kelsey Goldberg into being our DP and have booked Gill’s space for one of the party scenes, but a lot of the filming will be done in our apartments and we’re working on a budget of love and shoestring…I realize this is pretty short notice. Rehearsal time is very short/non-existant and many people are on vacations right now :). Take a look at the script, let me know if you’re still interested, and I can send you music as well. Again, don’t feel any pressure, we’re thinking up contingency plans and you were the first person I thought of when thinking of people good for this part :). If you decide you’re still interested, we’ll have a sit down read through and some rehearsal time hopefully to get you acquainted.”
In that idyllic state I thought “This’ll be fun! And I’m so flattered they asked me!” So I said yes. (Zip forward with montage music to pan over the month and a half)
I get the script – slight pause in heart rate. “Huh, I’m in every single episode. When do we start shooting? Oh…next week.”
I get the music – minor freak out. “I have FIVE songs I have to learn and start recording in two weeks?!?!?!”
I get the rest of the schedule – whimper. “I HAVE NO LIFE!!”
But really I was thrilled to have been asked – and I still am!
My first inclination that I was about to be inducted into geek culture (a little bit) was when I had to ask “What is NanoWrimo?” My second inclination was when Errol asked me to randomly yell “Yubnub!” into the camera. If you don’t know what that is, no worries, I’m still not sure either.
I’m also pretty sure the word rehearsal was used in that email – but really it was just a word we liked to use, as in “Um, aren’t we going to rehearse that?” and “Can we please rehearse that?” and “We aren’t going to rehearse that, are we.”
Late-ish nights (thanks to Kelsey for getting us out by 10pm!), shooting three or four times a week and lots of outtakes later we have a web series that I’m super proud to have been a part of. I learned so much shooting this – not the least about recording! I don’t know how many hours I spent with Errol, in front of a mic singing and singing and singing…. but I have a new found appreciation for Disney Princesses. Working with such a madcap group of people was invigorating, fun and inspiring. (fades back into me writing at my computer in rainy fall. Thanks Sandy.)
So here’s hoping that our labour of love and laughter (and a shoestring) entertains and enlightens!
Cheers,
Blythe aka Jill
NaNoMusical 