A Small But Important Role.. God
Over the weekend I participated in a film festival with some friends of mine. My friend Bobby Porier is a filmmaker here in LA. He came to LA several years ago from Maine, I was acquaintances with him in Maine. He has a friend who currently lives in Maine, actor and writer, James Hoban who wrote a small script for this little film festival and competetion called Dances With Films.
The competition challenge was to shoot and edit a 2 minute film in four hours. Each of the participants were given the same camera(s) and location to shoot. I was cast in the part of God in this short film titled: James Liption is Dead. This was an exciting shoot for everyone. Bobby and James (and others whose names I don’t remember, I think there was Phil) worked tirelessly around the clock the days leading up to the shoot and the day of the shoot. Technically they ended up staying up all night working on the film. God love ’em.
When they cast me, they were looking for someone to play a regular guy with masculine and feminine characteristics. In the film, James dies and goes to heaven and has a dialog with God. James is still carrying his notecard from his program, Inside the Actors Studio and he is not pleased with God’s responses.
By the way, Mom, it’s a short – it’s only a couple minutes. So when/if you see it and it ends, don’t be like “something’s wrong with the movie, it just stopped.”
I posted some photos from the set of the shoot in my photo albums. Feel free to check them out.
Meanwhile, I have seen the film in the rough cut form. Part of the dilly was that the film festival would play it the next night at the Sunset 5 theater in Hollywood – basically immediately after it was shot and edited. I was so scared to see myself on screen. It’s completely different than watching yourself perform stand-up comedy. Comedy is your material and you’re trying to do that justice. This was different, it was someone elses project that I was participating in. I was super afraid I would come across as a terrible actor and shaming the art form. Even though I did see the rough cut of the film, the jury is still out on whether or not I shamed myself and the art.
But I have so much gratitude for the experience. I am so fortunate and thank Bobby and James for having me. Thank you Maureen for the cool photos.
LYMI – XO,
Ian
