While I Was Out: Where the *Bleep* Have I Been, Anyway?

Hi guys. I know, it's been forever since I posted, but I can explain: life is weird.

Here's the deal. Over the past couple of months, things have gone from the ridiculous to the sublime at my house. To start with, Thomas and I have written a script, and stuff is kind of starting to sort of,  maybe, not completely but could-at-any-moment happen with it. I can't really go into it ('cause there's nothing to go into), but we optioned it (it's Facebook official, and everything), and now we're just pacing the delivery room, waiting and hoping to pass out cigars, eventually.

Now, as those of you who have been around here already know, we've also been steadily trying to renovate our sunroom. Well, the good news is: we finished it! And it's gorgeous! The bad news is: it immediately flooded, along with a good chunk of the rest of the house. No joke. Our area experienced "historical" rainfalls, and pretty much half the city ended up with at least some water in their houses. Before anyone tries to organize a fundraiser, or anything, though, let me assure you that we are perfectly okay. Thomas and I were extremely lucky that the water that came in was minimal, did absolutely no damage to any of our furniture or belongings, and was quickly cleaned up. We only lost the carpet in our room and the hallway, and for about a day, we honestly thought we'd saved it. It was really not a big deal. We also have a very elaborate system of drains that normally works perfectly. There was just so. much. rain. Like, half a foot in an hour, or some such nonsense like that. In any case, here's a shot of part of the sunroom. Thomas took a really nice panoramic video of the whole thing, but it hates me and won't embed.

 

You'd never guess it used to be teal with white trim and white-ish carpet. There's still junk in there that needs to be cleaned up, and an extra air hockey table (any takers?), but I'm calling it done.

 

And, since the carpet was up in the hallway, we took the opportunity to paint in there, as well. Since we already had orange and brown, that seemed a nice, warm and cozy color scheme to stick with.

Look, Ma! New carpet!



And...it looks like The Shining. Ronnie has two identical stuffed dinosaurs (his baby and a backup), and I really (like, you have no idea how badly) want to put them side by side at the end of the hall. We were about three-quarters of the way through painting when we realized the similarity, so we decided it was easiest to just go with it. We got the creepiest mirror and sconces we could find, and I'm planning to put a framed minimalist poster for the movie on the opposite wall.

It's hard to tell, but those are all distressed, and the candles are black. I'm planning to have a virgin light them on Halloween night to see if the Sanderson Sisters show up.

Anyway, while all this was going on, Thomas and I learned that Night of the Krampus was nominated for a Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award. Holy crap. People like Joss Whedon and Greg Nicotero win those things. Plus, the other shorts nominated were all amazing. It really and truly was an honor to be in their company, and associated with this award in any way. The winners were announced Monday night, and I am happily shocked to report that we walked away with First Runner-Up. The winning film was a shot-for-shot remake of the 1931 Dracula trailer, made by the folks over at Cinefix. It's absolutely hilarious, and I highly encourage all of you to check it out. I subbed to the channel after watching it. Congrats to them on a well deserved win!

Finally, I'm finishing up rehearsals for an Andrews Sisters tribute act, and we have our first gig next week. I've had a Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy earworm alternating with Do You Want To Build a Snowman for weeks (freaking memes). Blood may be shed soon.

Anyhoo, that's what's been going on around the Smith house--oh! We're filming tomorrow, too. I knew I'd forgotten something. Basically, it's a circus, but at least most of the acts are really cool.

In conclusion, I leave you with a chihuahua assembling a bed frame:

 

Awwwwww!!!!

InstagRandomness

I am so tired.

I mean, I am flat-out, fall-on-your-face, dear-God-I-should-not-be-driving exhausted. Poor Thomas is, too. I'd like to blame it all on the time change, but we've been burning the candle at both ends for so long now, this was bound to happen. At this point, I'm sitting upright. Please don't ask any more of me...and pass the coffee. Thank you.

Now, for your viewing entertainment, I give you: Random Instagram Photos! InstagRandomness, if you will. If you enjoy these, you can follow me @adorablenapalm. I don't have a hashtag (I'm not hip with all this newfangled social media hullaballoo. In my day, I had to dial-up to get to the world wide web. I had to wait for a connection and listen to a whole lotta screeching, just so I could reach America Online. Also, I'm apparently 106 years old now.) but I am always open to suggestions.

And now, the InstagRandomness!

Considering the March ipsy bags have already started arriving, I should probably show you a picture of the February bag. I actually took about two-dozen photos, with close-ups, swatches...the whole nine yards...and they all turned out orange. All of them. This was the best one of the bunch.

My bag contained Zoya nail polish in Odette, City Color Be Matte blush in Fresh Melon, Tini Beauty Eyetini in Spiced Rum, POP Beauty lip gloss in Peony Petal, and a Nume hair mask. The bag was a very cute hot pink with pink leopard lining.

Briefly, the Zoya is a lovely plum cream. For me, the name Odette conjurs up visions of soft white feathers, but this is beautiful, just the same. The blush is ginormous, crazy pigmented, and the perfect Spring-y coral. It's sitting in my current rotation. The Eyetini is fabulous. It's a rich bronze cream that applies easily, blends well, and reminds me a lot of my favorite MAC eyeshadow, Woodwinked. I lucked out with the POP Beauty lip gloss. It seems that several subscribers had issues with a gasoline-like smell, but mine is fine, so far. The rubber cap does have a distinct rubber odor, but that's to be expected. The gloss itself is more like a liquid lipstick. It's opaque, a pretty orange-leaning pink, and stays on fairly well. It's not my favorite thing, but I've worn it quite a bit. Lastly, the Nume hair mask conditions nicely and smells of Patchouli (to me, anyway). All in all, February was a very good bag month.

Now, if you've been reading this blog for any length of time, then you probably have noticed my complaining about the renovations we're doing to our sunroom. Well, folks, here's a sneak peek:

The walls are Orange Spice (or Spiced Orange? I can't remember) from the Better Homes and Gardens collection at Walmart. The door is Tierra Brown from the same line. The blue is painter's tape, and I'd better get used to it, because it has embedded itself into the walls and glass. Yay.

The floor is mostly done, now (just a few more planks. Thank God), but here's a shot of the new floor going over the old laminate tile.

I am in love with this floor. The wooden planks are actually stick-down vinyl tile! You can cut it with scissors (and I have...oh boy, have I ever). The brand is Style Selections in Antique Woodland Oak, and Thomas and I found it at Lowe's. If I hadn't put it down myself, I'd never believe it was stick-down tile. It even feels like real wood. Ah-maze-ing!

This little "weekend project" has been going on for a solid month and a half. Of course, we did take one weekend off to go to the brand-new Pensacon convention in Pensacola. Remember, this was the first year EVER of this con. First. Year. Now, look at the vendor floor:

Holy hordes of people, Batman! There were eleven thousand attendees on Saturday. Not over the course of the weekend. Saturday. That's nuts. And awesome. We were there Saturday and Sunday, and had an absolute blast. I got to see Axel from The Walking Dead, and nearly bumped into Nicholas Brendon in a hallway. It was magical. If you get a chance, read the article I linked to and join me in being highly impressed with this fledgling con.

In addition to celeb-spotting and souvenier shopping, Thomas got to participate in a panel on Indie Filmmaking. I sat in the front row and grinned like an idiot while snapping pictures. I'm so proud of him. There were six other highly accomplished speakers, and we were so honored to have Fighting Owl counted among their work.

So, this happened...

I kind of love him. He sits in our office/studio, next to a shadow box filled with zombie faces. That seems fitting. My voice students haven't had a chance to meet him, yet, so I'll have to let you know how that goes. The dog likes him. He also likes the Krampus. However, Batman is not allowed anywhere near him. The chihuahua may not be the best judge of character...

Speaking of Ronnie, I leave you with a visual representation of the word "spoiled":

I love that little face. Both those faces, actually. :)

Wigging Out: How To Make Your Halloween Costume Wig Look Less Terrible

With Halloween rapidly approaching (and Christmas rapidly attacking, but don't get me started on that. We'll save that for another rant.), I'm sure at least a few of you are planning costumes, and that some of those costumes are going to need wigs...

...and that Halloween wigs suck.

I'm sorry, but they do. I'd imagine it has a lot to do with the fact that they're shoved in flat plastic bags (and that they tend to be poorly made to begin with...), but they never look anywhere remotely close to what's pictured on the model. Of course, when the price is low, I'm not going to expect too much, and I'm certainly not going to complain. The higher-priced ones irk me, but, again, that's another rant for another time.

Anyhoo, the point of this post is to give you some tips on styling your own cruddy party-store wig into something you'd actually be okay instagramming at a party. These are not "pro tips", but are some things you can do without having to buy (too much) special equipment. Heck, I'm not an expert. I wouldn't even know where to begin styling a high-quality wig. I have, on the other hand, had plenty of experience dealing with cheap synthetics.

So, a few weeks back, Thomas and I filmed a short about goofy supervillains. One of our actresses was supposed to be very glamorous in a retro-sixties way, and while she's gorgeous, I had no idea what I was going to do with her hair. It's absolutely lovely--don't get me wrong, this girl is stunning--but Thomas wanted a very specific look that would require extensions and pieces and about an hour longer than I had. I lost sleep over this, guys. Then, the heavens opened and the angels sang, and this appeared in the Halloween aisle at Target:

Yeah...it sucks. But it was eight bucks, and I could take as long as I needed to style it. You know, as long as "as long as I needed" was less than about 14 hours. I didn't find it until the day before the shoot.

To start, I pulled the wig out of the bag and surveyed the damage. It was...rough. I tried it on, and the bangs were completely uneven and reached my chin, with longer strands dangling lower. The waves and curls were practically non-existent, and what was there was scraggly. That said, the construction of the wig wasn't terrible. The layers were ugly, but they were even, and the color was beautiful. This was definitely a workable situation. I grabbed a hairbrush and started trying to unsnarl the knots.

Now, they do make wig combs for styling, but on a cheapie wig like this, I don't see the point in spending the extra money. I used a regular brush on my hair pieces for theatre, and those were worn and re-styled a lot. I never had any trouble with them, other than some shedding. As it was, this wig came out of the bag shedding. I worked in sections from the bottom up, brushed gently, and did not try to brush directly from root to end. Sure, I did end up with a tribble's worth of fake red hair in my brush in the end, but the hair didn't come out in clumps, or anything like that. In other words, use your own judgement. If you'd feel better using the pro brush, go for it. I just, personally, didn't see a need.

Once the knots were untangled, I set to work styling. First, I grabbed a wig head (mine was from Hobby Lobby, and I think around $10) and pinned the wig in place using big straight pins with colorful ball tips. I wanted to be able to find them easily when time came to put the wig on the actress. Then, I just started styling the hair as if on a real person.

The thing to remember is that this is not real hair. Synthetic hair is plastic and rather thick. It'll hold its shape pretty well without gel or mousse, or anything like that. Also curling irons and hot rollers (and heat implements, in general) will melt the strands. You can tease the hair to a certain extent, and you can roll it by misting sections with water, rolling on foam curlers, and allowing to dry. You can pin it, you can braid it, you can manipulate it into whatever style you choose, just don't use heat or products. Here's a picture of mine on the stand, rollers still in place: 

For this look, I kept the existing middle part and divided three sections off of it. These were clipped out of the way while I teased the crown into a bouffant. I wrapped the middle divided section over the teased portion and pinned the ends under to create the pouf. Then, I pinned the front sections around that, hiding all pins as I went. The ends were misted with water, then twisted and rolled on satin-covered foam rollers (from Sally Beauty Supply) to create waves, and then the bangs were trimmed to a more reasonable length, with the intention of finishing the trim once the wig was on the actress (and we all know about good intentions...). I added the headband the actress would wear to make sure the placement was about what I wanted.

As luck would have it, I wasn't even in the same building as the actress when the wig went on, and wasn't able to even see it in place until shooting had already started and it was too late to trim the bangs any further. Here is a really lousy, heavily cropped, way too dark shot of the actress wearing the wig:

Why yes, that is a clown on her left and a gorilla on her right. Why do you ask?

And here's the promo photo from the short. They're channeling The Breakfast Club. I think the wig looks particularly nice here:

Should anyone else need to wear this, I can wash it. I would have to be very careful with the pouf, since I really don't want to have to do that again, and it would definitely have to be re-curled, but washing these kinds of wigs is not a problem. Just use cool water and a very mild soap, like baby shampoo. Again, there are special wig shampoos out there, and you can use those if you want, of course, but the baby shampoo will work just as well, and it's a little more readily available.

So, in conclusion, here are the basic tips again:

• If you use a regular hairbrush, start at the ends and work your way up. Avoid putting any stress on the roots. You can also use a professional wig comb, available at Sally Beauty and any number of online retailers for fairly cheap.
• Do not use hair products. A little finishing hairspray is okay, but nothing else is necessary. It'll hold on its own.
• DO NOT USE HEAT! EVER! THE HAIR WILL MELT!
• Curl the wig by misting with water and rolling on foam curlers. Allow to air dry.
• You can cut the wig, if necessary.
• You can wash the wig with cool water and baby shampoo. Allow to air-dry, then re-style.

I hope this helped! Have a great Halloween, and be sure to share any cool wig pics in the comments.

Behind the Screams: Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Part II

***This is part two of my overview and review of Universal Studios Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights. It's stated throughout the post, but there are spoilers for the houses, as well as for the movies The Cabin In the Woods and An American Werewolf In London.

Because I'm a wuss and can't go through the haunted houses without crying, but am also extremely interested in set and prop design, Thomas and I opted to go on the Behind the Screams tour. This is a lights-on, actor-free, in-depth guided tour of three of the haunted houses. It takes slightly over two hours, and I highly recommend it if you have any interest in theatrical set design--for movie or stage. The production values are astonishing, and they encourage picture taking.

It's also still really creepy, at times.

***WARNING! The pictures you are about to see are some of the least graphic in nature that I was able to take. They still contain some images that may too violent or off-putting for some. If you have a problem with gore or monsters, or if you are planning to go to HHN and don't want to be spoiled on three out of eight houses, STOP READING NOW***

Before the tour, we checked in at the VIP office (fancy) and got our lanyards that denoted we were on the tour. They were the same limited edition lanyards being hawked outside the gates, and a nice touch. We then waited in a gorgeous conference area with the cleanest, most opulent ladies' room I've ever seen. For some of you, that might not mean much, but when you've been stuck using theme park, fast-food joint, and gas station restrooms for several days, it's a god-send.

Once everyone was present and accounted for, we were split into our groups (there were three going at the same time, with each starting at a different house) and headed for the first house. Ours was the La Llorona tent (yes, tent, but you'd never know once inside), patterned partially after the house of the same name at last year's Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights.

Now, if I'm going to be totally honest, I have to point out that I really didn't want to go in this house. I also hated pretty much every second of being in there. See, I hate the urban legend. HATE the legend. If you don't know it, it's a Spanish tale about a beautiful young widow who falls in love with a handsome young nobleman. Unfortunately, while he's taken with her, he's not a fan of kids, and she has two from her previous marriage. So, she drowns them in the river. Seriously. As our tour guide (who felt the same way I did, I guess) sarcastically put it, "Nothing says fun like dead babies." Obviously, this doesn't go over well with the nobleman, and the woman poetically drowns herself in the same river. Depending on which variation of the story is being told, she also could have been murdered by a lynch mob. It was horrific, and involved a horse, and that's all I'm saying. Anyhoo, once she's died, she ascends to Heaven where she is promptly turned away, with the caveat that she can come in once she's found her children. Now, La Llorona (the weeping woman) wanders the Earth searching for her children, and because she doesn't remember what they looked like, she'll take anyone. 

I'm a softie. I love kids, and can't bear to even think of anything like this happening, even in a fictional sense, so I spent most of this house staring at the architecture, which was gorgeous. Stunning. Unbelievable, especially considering this was a tent. They built a Spanish villa, complete with river running through it. There are water effects galore. It's a beauty of a house, and I could only bring myself to take one picture.

This is the outside. It's lovely. Inside, the highlights would be the river, the pepper's ghost effects, and some super cool "Weeping Angel"-ish statues that come to life. You'll walk past several alcoves with real statues, and then past alcoves with actors dressed identically, stonework and all. It's a really neat effect, and brilliant in its simplicity.

Next up, The Cabin In the Woods. If you haven't seen this movie, drop everything and watch it now! There be spoilers ahead!! Seriously. I'll wait.

(Elevator music...shuffling of feet...awkward looking around the room...)

All done? Good. Hope you enjoyed it.

This one begins by queueing through the facility, and then trekking through a (small) forest to the cabin. Supposedly, you're maintenance for the facility and they need you to fix some equipment. When you get to the cabin, Jules has already been decapitated and is slumped against a tree. Inside, the level of detail is remarkable. The interior matches the movie to a tee, right down to the keg, Solo cups, and chip wrappers in the kitchen. Fun fact: stupid people at the event have been trying to steal things from the houses (and have succeeded), so everything is bolted down, and quite a few objects have been coated in Vaseline. Yum...

And yes, the "moose" is on the wall. No, I did not make out with it. (That would be frowned upon.)

You then make your way through the bedroom with the horrifying painting and two-way mirror, and down into the basement, where you see all of the totems that the kids could choose from. Again, I can't express the level of detail involved here.

Everything you remember from the movie, plus about a hundred other things that you would never see going through the event, but would certainly miss if they weren't there.

The basement leads to the black room, where you find torture devices, and also where the Buckner boys can reach at you from above. This leads back in to the facility, and into a ton of gore. I mean, a ton. The blood-filled elevator room, the dismembered Buckners, the Merman munching on Hadley; it's all exceptionally well-done, and again, the little things like coffee cups in the breakroom cabinets and fun signage throughout the hallways really sell that this is happening. One fun Easter egg to look for is the wipeboard. It's a spot-on replica.

Yeah, that is a Merman's tail. Yes, it is gross, and yes, it is hilarious.

The final house we toured was An American Werewolf In London. Again, if you haven't seen the movie (first of all, you should. It's amazing), go watch it and then come back. Spoilers, dead ahead!!

Back? Got Van Morrison's Moondance stuck in your head? I know I do. Alright! Moving on!

You enter this house through the Slaughtered Lamb pub, and it's just like being there. The pentagram is on the wall, the tables and coats are all as they should be, and there's even an errant dart in the wall, from where the guy who never misses missed. From there, you move into a cemetery (which isn't in the movie, but why not?) where hidden among the headstones you'll see markers for the Jaws and King Kong rides. Cute.

Now is when the house gets really impressive. Past the cemetery, you see Jack and David in the process of being mauled by a very large, very realistic, fully animated, mechanical werewolf. And it. is. gorgeous. The wolves (and there are several) were constructed by the same puppeteer who handles the work for Cirque du Soleil, and also worked on The Lion King stage show. And I can not remember his name to save my life. I'm sorry.

You'll travel through David's fever dreams, set in the hospital and his own home. The hospital set doesn't seem uber-detailed, but there are little touches that show how much thought went into this set. A copy of A Connecticutt Yankee In King Arthur's Court lies on a nightstand; an apple on a tray is missing a bite. Again, it's the little things. The house set holds far more items, and many sent me right back into my 80s childhood. We had the same videotape organizer that appears on a shelf. The carpet is exactly the same as what was in my house--that sort of thing. There was far too much to take it all in.

Down the hallway is Nurse Price's apartment, and David's transformation scene.

Just look at all of that detail! The half-read Twain novel, the Mickey Mouse that zombie-Jack plays with, and who else had that TV? I used to hook my Atari up to one just like that at my grandparents' house.

Now, you may be looking at this, thinking, "um...that werewolf-in-process doesn't have a head?" Well, yes and no. That werewolf doesn't have a head, but the actor who plays the werewolf does. He sits underneath the floor, with his head and arms sticking out. Then he can flail around and scream and all that jazz, without having to be pretty much naked and body-painted.

From here, you enter the Underground where David makes his first kill. This place looks amazing. I've been in the London Underground, and this is just like it, only more cramped. A lot more cramped. I couldn't take any pictures because I was jammed in between people like a sardine cramped. There's a wolf in here, and it'll scare the bejeezus out of you. Even with the lights on, it's frightening.

Next comes the movie theatre where David meets all of his victims and discusses his situation with Jack. With the lights on, it's just a big screen with a lot of theatre seats and mannequins. During the event, however, the actual adult film (enlarged to the point of obscurity, thankfully) plays, and live actors are mixed in among the dummies. There's also another werewolf at the exit, gnawing on the bones of an usher--the same usher who served as the icon for HHN a few years back.

When you leave the theatre, you enter Picadilly Square, complete with double decker bus, theatre marquee, and a great big blue box that may or may not be a replica of one used by a property that Universal does not own.

We were our guide's first tour that recognized the TARDIS. True story.

Once you leave the Square, you find yourself in the alley for David's final showdown with the police. It's also the best place to get a shot of the wolf.

Holy Mother of Pearl, that is fantastic! Story goes, the studios have wanted to do this house for several years, but never could get the go ahead from John Landis, the creator of AAWIL. He didn't understand how his movie could translate to a haunted house attraction. Eventually, they got him out to HHN, and he saw the craftsmanship and care that goes into building these houses and gave his blessing. I think they did it justice.

I wish I had better photos for you guys, but the houses were still quite dark with tiny spaces to walk through (for the most part). These were the photos that turned out the best, had the least amount of blood and guts (this is a family-friendly blog, after all), and--most importantly--didn't show anyone outside of the tour guide. Those folks didn't give me permission to post their photos on the interwebs, and I respect their privacy. I'd be less than thrilled if anyone posted video of me freaking out during the walker swarm.

Final little Easter egg: each house has a raven in it somewhere. This house technically has two. If you know where they are, leave a note in the comments. Thanks!

Ramblings: Another Op'nin', Another Show

We're filming tomorrow! ACK!! So far, today I have furiously "company cleaned" in that way that can only be achieved through abject fear of houseguests thinking you live in filth. I have picked up the camera equipment that was supposed to have been delivered to my door yesterday, but wasn't because I had to leave the house for an appointment and missed them by eleven minutes. I've grabbed a couple of last minute props and costume pieces, and tonight, I'm going to paint my nails. Believe it or not, that's actually an honest-to-God task. They have to match my costume, and right now, they look like tee-total crud.

Any theatre kid will tell you that the day before opening is the most stressful. The sets are never finished. Heck, I've done performances where you had to watch out for wet paint. The costumes may or may not be altered, or in extreme cases, in existence. Will the jokes get groans? Will the melodrama get giggles? Will that cast member who's notoriously flakey (and there's always one) remember to show up? Will the audience like the show? Will the audience like me? Will I remember my lines? 

Film is no different.

Granted, you get retakes, to a certain extent, but you don't have the days or weeks (or longer) of rehearsal that theatre affords. There are still lights, makeup, wardrobe, egos, and nerves to contend with. Directors are still going to have their vision, and they're still going to get irritated with actors, who will, in turn, be irritated right back. Amazing performances will still come out of nowhere. Comedy and Tragedy will still be ever-present. Sure, instead of flash powder and scrims we'll just fix it in post, but that same "magic of the theatre" (as a dear former director always said) is still there. Not every scene works every time, but occasionally, everything clicks into place and you end up with something truly special--on stage and on screen.

It's supposed to rain tomorrow. We're scheduled to film outdoors, and I've been freaking out a little trying to come up with a viable Plan B. The thing is, stuff like this always happens. I've slogged through flooded green rooms and danced musicals in the heat because the air-conditioner was knocked out in a storm. You keep going. S*** happens, but the show must go on (especially when you've rented equipment, and your lead talent is driving over from two hours away).

I had a point to this, but I've completely forgotten it. In any case, tonight I'll paint my nails--right after I paint my husband to look like a superhero for a quick shot we can get before tomorrow's craziness. I'll go to bed this evening, full of butterflies and knots, and wake up in time to curl my hair and put on my makeup and transform into someone else for a few hours. Then, I'll throw on my sweats, grab my brushes and blushes, and transform other people into their characters. We'll pray for sunshine, prepare for thunderstorms, and hope that the paint on the props is dry enough not to smear on the actors.

If not, we'll fix it in post. Magic of the theatre...    

Bizarre Halloween Tutorial: What Did You Do Today?

Oh, nothin' much. Just cleaned the bathroom, mopped the kitchen, and painted a severed hand? You?

I've gotta say, it looks pretty darn good, too.

Here's what it started out as:


Photo Credit



 And here's how it looks now:

As I've said before, my world is a little strange. The hand's for a short we're filming next weekend, and while it's still not quite finished (those seams! My God, those seams!), I'm really happy with it. Now, I know most of you guys aren't going to need to film a severed hand, but some of you may be planning Halloween decorations, so I thought I'd share how Thomas and I livened up the undead hand.

The hand, itself, came from the local party supply store. It was in a mesh bag with another hand and a couple of feet (and that is a sentence I never thought I'd write). The hand is almost exactly the same size as my hand. Aside from the zombie color and plastic bone sticking out, it was fairly realistic, and the whole bag cost about ten bucks. I guess, if we ever need any severed feet, we're all set.

I'm not counting that out...

Anyhoo, Thomas gave the entire hand a base coat of Apple Barrel acrylic in Lite Mocha (two coats), which looks like my liquid foundation, and repainted the red "blood". The red is really just a guideline for where to put the fake blood...that I still need to make and just remembered. Great. Once all the paint was good and dry, I started detailing.

The nails are fake press-ons from the drugstore. The hand had some nail bed detailing that I was able to use as a guide for sizing. The nail kit came with glue, but I opted to attach the nails with some rhinestone glue. Honestly, I figured there was less chance of gluing my fingers together that way.

Once the nails dried, I was able to file them into the shape I wanted. Then, I painted them with two coats of Essie Naughty Nautical. After that dried, I took a small detailing brush and touched up the skin-colored paint, adding in cuticles as I went. Finally, I painted one more coat of the Essie, just to clean up the cuticle area a bit.

When all of that dried, I was able to add the finishing touches. With a sponge, I applied a cream foundation over the entire skin area, giving the hand more of a natural skin finish. I set the foundation with a powder, then brushed a berry blush very lightly over the entire hand, concentrating the color around the knuckles and nails--where my own skin is naturally pinker. Then, I used a fluffy brush to apply a matte bronzer over the entire hand. The final effect is a little unnerving. It looks real. And off-putting. And kind of cool.

So, if you're in the market for a life-like severed hand...well, here you go. Now, if you'll pardon me, I'm going to go reevaluate my life choices.

Oh, who am I kidding? I freaking love this kind of stuff. Bring on Halloween!

Unsolicited Advice: Travel Edition

Wowzers! I just drove in from Birmingham, and boy are my arms tired! Wakka Wakka!!

Wait...that doesn't really work...(my apologies)

Really, though, I'm exhausted. This past weekend, Thomas and I went up to Birmingham, AL, to see C.U.P.I.D. screen at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival. Just the weekend prior, we were over in Pensacola as guests at the Pensacola Paracon. In between, we've both been working, so we've basically had two full weeks with no break, and are working on a third. We've hit the wall, but aren't complaining in the slightest. We were honored to be invited to both events, so it's completely worth it to be this tired.

And we are tired. Flat-out tired.

Up until now, we've averaged about two out-of-town trips per year, and almost none that were for any real length of time. These are weekend trips to Disney or New Orleans, and tend to be planned within an inch of their lives. Aside from my little stint on tour, where I spent a few months traveling from hotel to hotel on a nearly daily basis, I've never been a spontaneous traveler. So, during the past couple of weekends, I've learned a few things that I thought I'd share with you.

Difference between our GPS and a TARDIS? When the TARDIS doesn't take you where you want, at least you know it was on purpose.

Know where you're going, and how to get back, and eat first. (Points for the reference):
Our GPS is a lying liar who lies. He also slurs his words and mispronounces things to the point that some actually sound offensive. On top of that, he's sent us to the wrong place (and I mean really wrong...like another city wrong) on more than one occasion. We've decided that he's drunk, and named him Jack, after Captain Jack Sparrow. Because we don't want to end up in Montgomery instead of Mobile again (no joke), we now carry two spares GPS systems (our phones) and a printout with directions. It's helped. Also, make sure that you do some research after you select your hotel, to locate all of the nearby restaurants and fast food joints. We did not do this, and ended up subsisting on Chick-Fil-A all weekend, because we had no idea that five minutes in a direction that we never had to drive for any other reason, there was a plethora of nice, sit-down places, as well as a Dunkin Donuts. (I love Dunkin Donuts coffee. The caramel iced latte is my kryptonite.) We found this out after we'd eaten dinner the night before we headed home.

Portable chargers are the shizz:
About two or three weeks before the Con, I found a deal at nomorerack.com (which I cannot link to because Blogger hates me, but you can google it fairly easily) for two portable chargers for twenty bucks. I snapped up that sucker. Now, they're both identical, and both hot pink, but Thomas and I each have one so that we can recharge our phones on the go. You have no idea how much that came in handy. During the Con, we used our phones for everything. We needed the phone for the Square Reader, to check on the puppy (webcam at the boarder's is awesome), to take pictures, to post videos, for social media...basically, our phones became extensions of our arms, and those little chargers were lifesavers. I have no idea what the brand is, but just having a charger of the brand of your choice is highly recommended.

The puppy is a really good sport:
Yeah...we're not doing this again. We boarded the little guy when we went to Paracon, but figured that the trip to Birmingham was so short, and that we'd be back and forth to the hotel a lot to check on him and take him for walks, we should just take him with us. Besides, we were already planning on taking him with us to Disney World in the Fall, so this would be a great test run. He hated it. The poor guy was incredibly well-behaved, and never fussed or cried or anything like that, but you could just tell that he would have much rather been at "puppy school" than cooped up in a hotel room--even for such short periods of time. So, this Fall, instead of sitting in the hotel bed, watching tv and playing with his toys, he'll be at "puppy school"...sitting in a hotel bed, watching tv and playing with his toys...(it's a ridiculously nice boarding place. I want to stay there.)

Yup...I'm still a mess, but at least I'm not in shorts.

Pack heavy:
I can not believe I'm saying this, but for a spontaneous trip, you're probably going to have to overpack. I've found that when I decide what to bring, I throw in an extra outfit that is completely opposite to whatever else I've chosen. For instance: for the Con, I brought a pair of jeans and a t-shirt for Day One, and a Dalek-inspired dress for Day Two. Then, for good measure, tossed in another pair of jeans and another t-shirt. After the first day, I knew that wearing a dress and heels ('cause they matched) all day was a horrible idea, and was thrilled to have an alternative. Then, for Sidewalk, I had originally planned on wearing shorts and a nice shirt for the screening, since a lot of stuff is outdoors. At the very last second (literally, as we were walking out the door), I tossed a sundress in my bag, and that's what I ended up wearing. Turns out, it was actually much cooler than the shorts, and we ended up taking pictures that day, as well. I was really glad to have that dress.

Oh, yeah! There were also banners in the box.

You wouldn't believe how much stuff a Rubbermaid box will hold:
I fit in: a smaller Rubbermaid box of stationary and pencils, a tablecloth, a runner, two rolls of creepy cloth, two empty Sephora boxes, a skull candle from Target (seriously, they have the cutest Halloween decorations), a picture frame, a treasure chest (not kidding), two headstones, a coffee mug, antique keys, part of an ancient tablet, the plaque off an old crypt, some business cards and a money bag. The DVDs came in another box. That's insane. Also, we take strange things with us when we travel. I'm just glad we left the skeleton at home.

Don't be a hotel snob, and Hotwire is da bomb:
(See, I'm cool. I'm hip. I know the lingo, yo. Can ya dig it? Yeah...gonna go crawl into a hole now...)
Thomas was awesome and made all the hotel arrangements for both trips, since I had my hands full with putting together a booth and fun stuff like that. He used Hotwire to book both hotels, and got really great prices on them. Crazy good prices, actually. Scarily good prices. One was, like, thirty bucks a night, or something ridiculous like that. The other was more, but not by much. You don't find out the hotels until after you book. The cheap-cheap place turned out to be an Extended Stay in a great area. When we got there, the front desk was waiting for us, knew our names, and had little goodies in a basket, in case we needed anything. We grabbed a microwave popcorn (why not?) and headed up to our extremely clean, nicely decorated room--complete with kitchenette and full-sized refrigerator. We could have properly cooked in that room. It was absolutely lovely, and I would happily stay there again. The slightly pricier hotel was revealed to be a Hyatt...suite. Living room, wet bar, huge tv...the works. The puppy had plenty of room to run around and play, too. The safety sign in the room had the usual price on it, which was about four times what we paid. This is not the first time we've used Hotwire, and won't be the last.

And because this is, technically, a beauty blog:
Walgreen's has an awesome Aloe Vera face mask. It comes in a single-sized packet (though, you can get two uses out of it) and is for calming redness and easing swelling. I think it was about a buck, and is fantastic for post-travel dryness and puffiness.

Urban Decay's new Revolution lipstick really does last for-freaking-ever. You might want to touch up for moisture, but the color isn't going anywhere. If you're going to be out and about with no mirror, this is your lippie.

Suave dry shampoo smells like pineapple, and really does work. It also cut down on my getting ready time considerably, and kept me from having to use my awful travel shampoo and conditioner. It runs about two dollars, and I got mine at Target.

Random Observations: Does This Count As a Vacation?

Okay, I've officially given up on the post I was attempting to write. The gist of it was: Essie Naughty Nautical nail polish is really, really pretty, and it lasts a long time. Just make sure you use a base coat, or it will stain your nails the color of mold, which is not a good look. I had photos, and they were actually halfway decent. Unfortunately, Blogger has decided that I am not to publish that post (at least, not in its entirety), so this is the best I can give you guys. I'm extraordinarily sorry.

But it is a darn nice polish.

It's teal.

I like teal.

Anyhoo, Thomas and I are getting ready to take Fighting Owl to the Pensacola Para Con next Saturday. C.U.P.I.D. is screening in the Birmingham Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival the next Saturday, and then we begin filming two microshorts in September. On top of that, my grandfather has been ill (but is doing much better, thank God!), so I've been a little busy trying to help my mom with him. I haven't been as much help as I would have liked, but, not to put too fine a point on it, I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

Through my haze of chaos and general confusion, I've noticed some things, and I thought I'd share them with you. Mind you, they're completely random, and I'm running on caffeine and adrenaline. Consider yourself warned.



I've, quite literally, eaten Taco Bell for lunch every day this week. When did I go back to college?

Fish Eye Pinot Grigio is not half bad. I only felt slightly trashy dropping a couple of ice cubes in it. (It's hot down here, y'all. You do what you have to do.)

Wet 'N' Wild has come out with an eye shadow collection that contains a red--A RED!!!--and only costs $2.99 for a trio. The baby blue, peach, and matte brown trio is surprisingly wearable, and quite lovely.

Halloween decorations are already out. School hasn't even started yet. WTYouKnowWhat, man?

Staples wants seventeen bucks for a brochure holder that can also display DVDs. Big Lots had a desk organizer for six dollars, and it looks nicer and holds more. All it needs is a coat of spray paint to cover up the pink lining. DIY, baby!

Wearing jeans in August in Alabama is a stupid fashion choice. On the upside, I may have lost a couple of pounds of water weight.

If you start up a parked vehicle, put it in gear, and then immediately put it back in park--never taking your foot off the brake--the vehicle will still move. If you do all that and you're my brother, you will also come this close to running over your mother's foot.

This week, I've lost a hair clip, a pen, and the will to get off of my couch after 6pm. I really only miss the hair clip.

Until Monday night, I had not hemmed anything since 1998.

If you put something flat on the conveyor belt at Target and it gets sucked up into the counter, they can not get it back. Lord knows what you'd find inside if you cracked one open. You would, at least, find a pack of Goody hair barrettes.  



I think I need to go home and unscrew the cap on that bottle of Pinot Grigio. 'Night, everybody!

Flash! Ah-ah! Saving Every One of Us (Time and Money)

This is just a quickie post to let you know about a cool little development over at Sephora.

They've started up an Amazon Prime-esque program called My Flash. In a nutshell, for $25 a year, you'll receive free 2nd day shipping* on an unlimited amount of orders, with no minimum total required. Orders can also be overnighted at the reduced rate of $5.95.

*Cue record scratch* Say what???

Now, I don't know about you, but for me, this is a steal. Let's do some math:

Regular shipping is $5.95 (let's call it $6, shall we?) and takes four business days to arrive. To receive your order in two days (like with My Flash), you'll have to shell out $16.95 (let's call it $17, 'cause...really...). If the amount of time it takes for your order to arrive doesn't matter to you, and you would never pay to expedite shipping, My Flash will pay for itself in, roughly, five orders. Sounds like a lot, but I'll get to that in a minute. If shipping time is an issue, and you're one of those folks who finds themself rush ordering on a regular basis, My Flash will pay for itself with two orders. If you've ever had to overnight an order, then the reduced rate will pay for itself with three orders.

In case you're wondering, last year, I placed four orders. In 2011, before my town's beauty population explosion caused an Ulta to be built across the street from a brand new Sephora Inside JCPenney, I placed eight orders. I would have placed more orders each year, believe it or not, had it not been for the shipping fee. You see, there have been many, many (manymanymanymany) times when I've been doing makeup for a project, and realize a little late in the game that I miscalculated just how much of a product I was going to need. There have also been those times when, at the very last minute, Thomas and I figured out exactly what it was that a character needed to really make them pop, and I'm sorry, but I'm not paying $17 to overnight one item. Nope. Ain't happenin'. Thomas and I usually end up checking both Sephora and Ulta, and then end up with me combing the shelves of the drugstore or Sally's, trying to find something sort of comparable to what it is I really needed. I also tend to use trial sizes, because they're easier to carry, take up way less space, and I'm more likely to use them up before they expire. I like trial sized Benfit Bad Gal mascaras for my actresses, trial sized Bumble and Bumble Prep for setting and re-setting curls, and if I have a particularly oily-skinned actor, a trial sized Urban Decay De-Slick. You can't get Prep in the Sephora Inside JCPenney, and the mascaras are kind of hit and miss. The De-Slick's not too hard to find, but one out of three isn't exactly good. Considering how stressed out I got on the last film, the fact that I can now just sit back on my couch, grab the iPad, and order whatever it is that I need, in whatever size I prefer, and have it show up on my doorstep two days later is a flipping dream come true.

So, yeah, I signed up. Immediately. Did not pass Go. I placed my first order while I was at it, for a three-dollar product. I didn't need anything (and really didn't need to spend any money), but I wanted to test it out. I placed the order on Wednesday at almost 2pm Central (the cut-off for same-day shipping is 3pm, but it doesn't specify time zone. I assumed Pacific, since the company is based out of San Francisco), and received my package today (Friday) at 11:15am. In it, I found the customary three free samples, and another bonus sample that I'd requested with a coupon code.

I'm a happy camper. Of course, the value of this program is completely dependent upon your own shopping habits, but for me, this is kind of a god-send.

What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments.


*I have to add this: Only available in the Continental US. Excludes Canada, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, P.O. Boxes, APO/FPO, HAZMAT orders. HAZMAT will receive free ground shipping. Cut-off time for 1-day shipping is 12pm. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

I Cut Myself Shaving My Arm...

I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off! Somehow, I have to clean the entire house, wash the car (in the rain...seems pointless, but you'd be surprised) and vacuum it out, charge all of the electronics (which is proving trickier than you'd think), pack personal and promo items, and go to work, ALL before bed tonight. Yeah...I'm not sleeping, methinks.

Thomas and I are heading to the Crossroads Film Festival in Jackson, Mississippi, this weekend. Our short film, C.U.P.I.D., is in competition, and we're beyond excited. I'll let you know how it goes, and maybe post some pictures if I can figure out how to do it on my phone. That's a big "if", but I'll try.

Have a fantastic weekend, and I'll see you on the flip side! (Because I have just about flipped out...)

Magic Bag O' Samples: GlamGlow Mud Mask

I'm about three and a half weeks out from filming in High Definition. That means that I need to 1) learn my lines (whoops...), 2) lose about ten pounds (not happening), and 3) get my skin HD ready. I might actually be able to do that last one.

About a week ago, I was able to get my hands on a deluxe sample size of GlamGlow Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask. It's, supposedly, this miracle product that you slather on, and when you rinse it off fifteen minutes later you're Christie Brinkley circa Uptown Girl. Yeah...right.

Here's what Sephora has to say about it:

This mud mask leaves skin noticeably radiant and glowing. It activates moisturizing collagen synthesis, provides gentle resurfacing exfoliation, and helps to leave skin smoother, brighter, and softer. While providing tighter skin texture and tighter pores, it provides a more youthful appearance and absorbs impurities without removing natural oils.

And GlamGlow, themselves:

Designed for Hollywood’s Entertainment, Music, Fashion and Award industries for camera-ready soft glowing skin. Dredged off the coast of Southern France, home to glamorous Cannes, St. Tropez and Monaco. GLAMGLOW is an amazing rapid gentle exfoliant mud mask for men and women, high in ancient volcanic pumice rock, super antioxidants and minerals.

Those are some serious claims! I figured, I'd try it now, and at worst, I'd break out and have a month to get over it. At best, my skin might look nice for Thanksgiving, and I might save the rest of the tube to use before filming for a little extra oomph.

Um...I bought a jar.

Well, to be more specific, Thomas and I went in together on a jar, and we got it through Amazon for about half the retail price. I'm sorry, but the day I shell out almost seventy bucks for a face mask is the day you can cart me off to the looney bin. Not that it isn't worth it, but I just don't have that kind of money. Anyhoo, back to the story.

I put on the mask, which is very pleasant and natural-smelling, and has large bits of green tea leaves scattered throughout. It's very scrubby, and left a lovely cooling feeling, but I wasn't seeing any magic, yet. After fifteen minutes, the mask was very dry, hard, flaky, and downright uncomfortable. In fact, it had begun to itch, so I ran back to the bathroom to rinse it off. That's when I saw it. The pores on my nose were, dare I say, clear! Actually, all of the skin on my face was clear, save for one pimple that showed up as a result of the mask, and was quickly dealt with (with an extractor! Be careful, folks!). I could tell an immediate difference in the look and feel of my skin, and even ran into the living room, yelling for Thomas to feel my face. Why he puts up with me, I'll never know...

The effects lasted for almost three days. I did feel the need to do a "touch up" mask after two days, but probably could have gotten by without it. Thomas has trouble with the pores on his nose clogging up, so he used a little just in that area, and was really happy with the results. After a couple of days of discussing it, we decided to go in together on a jar.

This is, easily, the best mask I've ever used. I have a fancy-schmancy one from Basin, the tried-and-true Queen Helene Mint Julep, and have slathered on more strawberries and avacados than you can shake a stick at, but this one tops them all. My skin is smoother, brighter, more supple...it glows. I'm still a little too young to be able to tell if it tightens or helps with wrinkles, but even if it doesn't, it's still worth trying out--especially during holiday party season! My advice: go to Amazon. Prices are considerably cheaper, the sellers are generally reputable (mine came from Amazon, directly), and you can find smaller sizes.

Final Verdict: 9 out of 10. The price is the only thing keeping this from being a freaking 11.

Hey, Kids! Let's Make a Movie!

Photo Credit: Fighting Owl Films
Artist: Jeff Bell

You know how I act and produce for an indie film company? And how that company made a really cool movie that actually got picked up for distribution and is out on DVD all over North America? Well, we're gearing up to make a thirty-minute follow-up, sequel, Christmas extravaganza...whatever you want to call it. I think it's going to be down right awesome, so I figured I'd share the news with you guys.

Night of the Krampus will be a half-hour holiday special, featuring the main characters from The Night Shift. Rue Morgan, Claire Renfield, and Herbie West venture away from Pinewood Oaks Cemetery to investigate a series of kidnappings. Could Santa's "helper", the deadly Krampus, be checking off his Naughty List?

Right now, we're at the fundraising stage, and have a campaign in progress on indiegogo. I'm not asking any of you guys for a dime. What you could do, if you're interested, is share, like, favorite, tweet, embed, plus, pin, or blog about the project. We have a little over 40 days, and every bit of support helps. Thanks!

But I Play One On TV: My Indie-Filmmaking Makeup Station

***Disclaimer: I am not a professional hair or makeup artist. Far from it. I can not stress this enough. I have no formal training, and am not licensed. I am just a well-informed amateur who has learned from experience and observation. Thank you.***

If you are a DIY indie filmmaker, or are thinking of trying your hand at some shorts, or maybe a local film scramble, this post is for you. This is not for folks with a budget who can hire a pro. By all means, if you can afford a professional, hire a professional. We hope to one day be able to, ourselves. For now, I've put together this kit, filled with essentials to keep us running.

Okay, let me say this one more time, just to be clear: I am not a professional hair or makeup artist, nor do I claim to be. That said, sometimes when Thomas and I are filming something, special makeup is required. Maybe we need a zombie; maybe we need people to look dirty and ragged; maybe we need to bruise an actor and he's just not comfortable with Thomas beating him around the neck and shoulders. Actors...

That's when my handy-dandy at-home makeup station comes into use.

As you can see, this is a super high-tech operation. The cart and counter-top organizer both came from Target, and I think were around $20 total. I like that the cart has wheels, because, if we're filming in our home studio (aka: the guest room "office"), I can roll it wherever I need to. Also, in a pinch, I can take the counter-top organizer off and use the top of the cart as a make-shift table. Not pictured is a small folding stool for the actor to sit on.

Here's a close-up of the smaller counter-top organizer. It's perfect for little items and disposables. Let's look inside!

I'm not going to be too detailed in these descriptions. If you really want me to go product-by-product, I can. Just let me know in the comments. This first drawer holds all my eye stuff. Pencils, mascaras, brow gel, some primers, a gel liner, and some individual and strip lashes with glue. You'll notice some items are sample-sized. That was a cheap way to expand my kit, up the quality of product, and use up some items that otherwise would have probably ended up in the trash.

Here are the smaller face items and a few lip products that really didn't have anywhere else to go. I've got my bruise and death wheels, Ben Nye setting powder and Final Seal, a couple of small HD powders (the better to toss in my travel kit if we shoot on location), some tinted moisturizer and mineral powder (for guys), lipsticks, lip pencil, primer samples (again, the better to travel with, my dear), a pigment, and some flesh latex and tooth color.

The last drawer is really the most important, in my book, anyway. These are my disposables. This isn't the best picture, since some things are stacked and layered, but this is where I keep my sponges, puffs, and all manner of applicators. I have individual mascara and lipgloss wands, so no two actors use the same. Each actor gets their own puff. Spatulas let me scrape out clean lipstick, gloss, gel/cream liners...etc. There are hand sanitizers and sani-wipes, and rubber gloves if need be. If you take nothing else away from this, please take this much: There is no sharing in makeup! Thou shalt not double-dip! I don't care if the person you're making up is your best friend, sister, or mom--you never share! Germs love mascaras, lipglosses, lipsticks, and pretty much anything else you can think of that's makeup related. Keep your hands clean, use disposable wands, change out your sponges, and clean your brushes and you'll be fine. It's okay to be paranoid.

This is the first drawer of the main cart. I also keep my brush belt in here, with E.L.F. studio brushes for use on greasepaint and to take on location shoots. They're only three bucks a piece, so if they get lost, broken, or what have you, I can afford to replace them. If I'm at home or in an indoor, low-key setting (not running through a cemetery), I prefer my Real Techniques brushes for non-greasepaint work. They're not terribly expensive, either, but they are a little pricier than the E.L.F. Here, you can see some face wipes, the larger HD powders (look for a difference between the E.L.F. and Make Up For Ever's HD powders. I dare you!), a tub of q-tips, and a whole buncha palettes. There's a Ben Nye foundation palette (and my deal of the year! Got it for less than $30, and it's normally closer to $60! I worried for days that I was getting an empty palette.), a couple of concealer palettes, a lipgloss palette, and a Z-palette with some depotted eye shadows, powders, and lipsticks. Then there are some Wet 'n' Wild palettes, a couple of single shadows, and my Pokemon-esque collection of Profusion palettes. I gotta catch 'em all!

The next drawer is the hair drawer. I wish it were more organized, but you work with the space you have. There are a few different hairsprays, a couple of volumizing mousses, extreme-hold gel, texturizing gel, volumizing powder, several pomades with different finishes/purposes, some samples of Fekkai glossing cream (I should just get a tube. it's awesome), a spray bottle for water, a comb, a couple of hair flowers that I know I'll be using on our next shoot, some spray temporary hair color, and some bobby pins, brushes and clips (not pictured, because I just picked them up today). Way in the back, under the hair flowers, are also a styling cape and an apron. I often have to work on people who are in costume, while wearing my costume. That is a recipe for disaster...and stains. These little protective coverings are vital, and they only cost a few dollars at the beauty supply shop. Please invest in them.

You'll also notice that I don't have any scissors or hair color, or anything like you'd find at the salon. That's because I'm not trained and licensed. I won't do anything that won't wash out immediately. If you want something more permanent, go to a pro. I do have hot rollers, a curling iron, and some velcro rollers, but they have homes in my bathroom, since they're mine and not the company's.

This last drawer is my special effects stuff. Here you'll find the edible fake blood (mint flavored!), a tub of white greasepaint (the rest of the rather extensive collection is in another kit until I can get a second small counter-top organizer for it), spirit gum, spirit gum remover, baby oil (for removing greasepaint), baby powder (for setting greasepaint), specialty powders, gelatin appliance bonder, brush cleaner, spray tan, extra sponges, extra containers, extra flesh latex, a couple of spatulas, and (oh, why not?) spray glitter.

So, there you have it. That's my amateur makeup station for low-budget filmmaking. A lot of it's E.L.F. A lot of it's drugstore. Quite a bit of it is on the higher-end, but some of that's made up of freebies, for crying out loud. It's completely about what works best for you and creates the look you want on camera. Just be careful about your hygiene, and have fun.

Do you guys enjoy these posts on what goes into low-budget indie filmmaking? Let me know in the comments.

Producer Productivity

I don't know how many of you guys stopped by because of my film ties, but if any of you haven't been completely run off by all the makeup stuff, this post is for you.

I'm not really sure how detailed I've been about the film stuff, so to recap (or tell you for the first time. I can't remember): My darling Thomas, started an indie film company called Fighting Owl Films. I helped. He handles the writing, directing, and all the technical jazz, and I handle the actors, extras, and organizational stuff. I also act, take care of a lot of the makeup, and we both work on wardrobe and props and whatever else has to get done. That's definitely the Reader's Digest condensed version, but there you go. We've also collected a small group of insanely talented (and probably just plain insane) artists who fill in the gaps with pure awesome. They compose, act, choreograph, write, film, apply false eyelashes, and sometimes just try to keep things calm. They're the folks who have allowed Fighting Owl to grow so that we can accomplish our goals, and we count them among our closest friends.

Of course, with growth comes the need to organize. A lot.

So I got an iPad.

Flip me!

Now, if you have an iPad or an iPhone ('cause this'll work on either) and do any sort of filmmaking, I have to recommend that you download the Pocket Call Sheet app. It's not free. You'll have to shell out $6.99, but it's completely worth it.

This app allows you to cull together a real, honest to goodness call sheet from your contacts list, and then emails it out to everyone involved. Before, I had to go into Google Docs, set up a spreadsheet or table (depending on what I needed at the time), and manually cobble together something that sort of resembled a poor representation of a call sheet's third cousin four times removed. Then, there were the emails. OH! The emails! Call times, locations, instructions, reminders...we're talking tl;dr of epic proportions. With this, I simply input all my information for the entire day of shooting--from pick-up times to wardrobe to set, including props and scenes--and it goes out to everyone on the list. You have no idea how much happy dancing I've been doing over this one little app. It's a fantastic organizational tool, and one that will immediately create at least the illusion that you know what you're doing. Good luck!

Unsolicited Advice: Enroll in YouTube Beauty School!

I am not a makeup artist, and I don't even play one on tv. I am simply a makeup enthusiast who also happens to be a performer, and because of that, I sometimes have to come up with looks for stage or screen. Now, to me, stage is easy. I sponge on my Ben Nye stage foundation, then pretty much just pile color on top of that until I'm confused for a hooker. If no one's asked how much you charge, yet, keep going till they do. Sure, there's a little more nuance to it than that, but that's the basic idea.

Screen keeps me totally bumfuzzled. You have to keep the makeup looking natural, but also have enough on to show up on camera and also avoid being washed out by lights. There's a very fine line. I'm getting better at walking it, though, thanks to a workshop given by a lovely makeup artist friend...and good ol' YouTube.

I kid you not, YouTube has been an absolute Godsend, but you have to be careful which "gurus" you go to. Not everyone who hosts a beauty channel actually knows what they're doing (I know! People posting useless videos on the Internet?! Color me shocked!), so I'll add a list at the end of some that I've grown to love. When you find talented people who communicate well, you can take inspiration from their videos, and also educate yourself on products and techniques. After all, what good is expensive makeup or fancy brushes if you don't know how to use them?

Anyhoo, back to screen makeup! This weekend, Fighting Owl Films is shooting a short, and I'm playing one of the lead characters: a stuck-up, snobby, gold digger (yes, my husband wrote it for me. Why do you ask?). The film's a silent, so the visuals are super-important--even more so than usual. To up the degree of difficulty, this will also be our first film shot in HD.

Last night, I conducted a practice run on makeup only (so forgive the hair and outfit), based upon and using a few techniques picked up from two YouTube tutorials. The final look is not a step-by-step result of either video. I don't even think I used a single recommended product. Rather, it's an amalgamation of ideas from these tutorials, mixed with tricks I've figured out on my own, and blended with character ideas from the director. I'm posting this simply to show how you can use Internet tutorials to your advantage, and I hope at least some of you have found this helpful.

Snobby enough? Oh, and check out the mini-duckface!
Shot with my cruddy cell phone, in my bathroom with the worst lighting in the world. Enjoy!

Products used:

• Tarte Clean Slate primer
• MAC Studio Sculpt in NW15, applied with Real Techniques buffing brush
• Benefit Boi-ing concealer in Light, applied with Real Techniques deluxe crease brush
• Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder in Transparent, applied with Real Techniques buffing brush
• Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
• E.L.F. Brow Kit in Medium
• Urban Decay eyeshadows in Foxy, Bootycall, and Tease (Naked 2), applied with Real Techniques shadow brush
• Urban Decay eyeshadow in Blackout (Naked 2), applied as liner with Real Techniques accent brush
• Benefit Hoola bronzer, applied with Real Techniques contour brush
• Stila blush (Floral Palette, hot pink shade), applied with Real Techniques blush brush
• E.L.F. HD Powder, applied with Real Techniques powder brush
• Urban Decay False Lash mascara
• Ardell individual false lashes, Medium
• Duo lash glue
• NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm
• MAC Lip Pencil in Dervish
• Urban Decay Urbanglow Cream Highlight in Moonshine

Trusted YouTube "Gurus" (alphabetical order):
DivaMakeupQueen
emilynoel83
FleurDeForce
GlowMyWay
gossmakeupartist
pixiwoo