IT'S BRISBANE TONITE WOW PRODUCTION

I wish this could be more positive but the production of it's Brisbane Tonite Wow had plenty of hiccups. The shooting of the film took ten weekends.

I actually tried to keep my nose out of the production and concentrate on playing Rick Stinger. there's a part of me who wants to be a great comedy actor but there's a bigger part of me who has grave doubts.

Scot asked me if we could shoot some early scenes  in my massage shop at Woolloongabba. Yes I have a legit massage shop in the Gabba and that is why I have no money. If I had the other kind of massage shop I'd be rolling in money.

So the trouble here is that the Gabba is a noisy place and my massage shop is not sound proofed.

A few months ago I asked Scot if he was going to BRIZ 31 to get a price on their studio to do the film. I know that there rates are not only reasonable but they can be sensational and they have all the equipment. I had this in mind when I wrote the script. His answer was "No" and  he would build his own studio. he did this at Annerley just off Ipswich Road. All I can say is that you heard evry vehicle that went by.

The shooting days were Saturday and Sunday and the time frame was from 8am to 3pm. This was because the guy who owned the camera lived on the Gold Coast and had a weekend job on the Gold Coast and had to be back on the coast early both days. The problem was we were really getting into the acting side of things mid afternoon and this guy left at 3.00pm every day. Not 3.05pm, 3.00 pm.

How this affected the shoot was that if we finished at 5pm each day, that's an extra for hours a week, the film would have taken a maximum of five weekends to do. Scot arranged a deal/contract in which all the cast but especially crew worked for nothing and that they would all get heaps of money once the film was a huge success. I had to sign the same contract. But after ten weeks it was becoming tiresome with some of the crew dropping out, shit, ten weekends is a lot of weekends.

I has one big ego boost through the filming and I need ego boosting. The lines written by Scot had no comedy or humour except for a character he wrote for himself. However the actors who had read the original script  would come over tome and ask if I could change their lines to make them funny. I did of course.

The way the script was written, the actors in the hotel scene were only needed for one nights filming. We all arrived at this hotel on a Sunday night when a certain section was not being used and filming began. However there were roadworks that night and jackhammers delayed and ruined very scene.

Actually Scot has told me that because of noise issues at the Gabba ,Annerley and the City hotel every scene will have to be over dubbed by everyone.

You know, whaddya do?

Not looking good.

IT'S BRISBANE TONIGHT WOW ( my first produced feature film)

A few years ago I wrote a script called IT'S BRISBANE TONITE WOW. Recently, local fil maker Scot McPhie asked me if he could make the film.

It's simple enough to make because there are only a few locations and a small cast and nothing which needs stunts nor effects.

The story is simple enough. Rick Stinger has made a short film and has taken it to the local community TV station for editing. having completed the edit Rick goes to pick the film up on a Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Friday night is the night of the community TV station TONITE SHOW. Hosted by a young woman Lee Travers it's more of a magazine style show with the regular guests being local C grade self appointed "celebrities".

So Rick Springer arrives late on Friday afternoon and the weather report is that is going to be a torrential  storm. The other thing going on is that Lee Travers has a show to do.

The storm hits quickly and this is the scenario. There are six people stuck in the studio. Lee Travers, The station manager Gareth. The floor manager Matt, The director of the show who is in a booth and intentionally unsighted for the most part and Bob the the station sponsor who has come to view the show first hand. 

*Let's deviate for a second. Here's the first tricky part , Scot asked me if he could change some things in the script, the first one having a camera crew and he would write there lines. Well I wasn't happy about this because these community TV stations like all TV stations have cameras that can be operated by the director from the control room without the use of people and that's the original scenario.

Back to the synopsis. So the storm hits and all roads are blocked to a from the studio. This means that those in the studio can't get out and the guests who are wanting to get to the studio can't get in, but they all find themselves stopping at a nearby hotel.

In the real world, the show would not go on. But this is the story, Lee wants the show to go on hoping the weather situation will change.

Very quickly, she gets Rick Springer to be the first guest, but when no others arrive he in a variety of disguises becomes every other guest. As he  is doing this the real guests are watching the show on the hotel TV and seeing this guy impersonating them and they are not happy with it.

Also the station sponsor Bob is an idiot who does not realise what is going on. To keep things moving (hopefully)  the script is full of  shit house ads and promos for the community TV station.

*So my issue with the three camera operators is that they could have played other parts or been interview subjects themselves.

The story finishes with all being revealed and when the flood subsides all make their way to the hotel and are confronted by the real guests. That's it.

So Scot put this story or script out on the internet and had people from all over the country wanting to do it.

 He has done rewrite and edit to give the script more body and got to work to make this film happen. At this point my feelings are pretty much that if the film can me made let's make it.

Now one big issue he has asked me to play Rick Stinger. I have said "No' numerous times because  of my own reasons.I finally agreed.

This is an unusual situation . 

Scot McPhie:  Producer Director  and I noticed on the script he handed out he had co writer with his name on top. Don't worry I pointed that out to him.

Mick Steel: I was writer ( now co writer and lead actor). 

Let's see what happens.