Weekly Interview Part 1: James Call

Check it out!

I started my new blog, the one that was last weeks project.

The projected sort of evolved. Now the idea is to gather questions from peoples friends to ask them then post them along side a bio and pictures both sent to me by there friends.

Here's the first one where in James Call discusses his potential as a dictator, the bad assness of Irises and Angels and his dislike of rambling pop ballads from the early-seventies

http://10questions-skinnyd.blogspot.com/

Year 2 Week #8 Struggle - Comic Book

The corresponding project from for this week from last year is too dorky and unfeasible for me to even approach right now. I mean I still think it's a pretty good idea but I don't think I'll be writing for Marvel any time soon.

So instead I'm going to post the "pitch" for a comic I've been working on as an editor with James Call. It's story of politics and intrigue in an afterworld peopled by famous movers and shakers from all through history.

Here's James' pitch:

Struggle [working title] is the story of politicing, deal-making, war, business, espionage, and ideological battles, in the afterlife. Set at first in the Sixth Circle of Hell, where heretics go,Struggle begins as three great departed figures of history - President Lyndon Baines Johnson, Huey "the Kingfish" Long of Louisiana, and Julian, apostate Emperor of Rome - rëenter political life in the land of the dead. These figures may not have eternal rest, but they have all the wiles and saavy that they did while alive, not to mention the same impulses that drove them - both the noble and the impure.

Witness the fiery dueling campaigns of the Kingfish and a certain frustrated painter from Munich as they compete for the Governorship of the Sixth Circle! Watch LBJ give "the treatment" to every last legislator in who stands in his way to bring civil rights to the despised Bashanites! See oil reporter Wanda Jablonsky have cocktails with the Mongols and survive! WAR! DEAL-MAKING! SCANDAL! This one has it all, folks!

Year 2 Week #7 12 Angry Batmen - Play

Okay so this idea really doesn't need that much really doesn't need much work. I'll repeat the concept:

The Idea is simple, we want to put on a production of the play 12 Angry Men by Reginald Rose played entirely straight but with all the actors dressed as Batman.

And here's how the Character breakdowns would look:

• Batman #1 (The Foreman): A high-school assistant head coach and costumed vigilante, doggedly concerned to keep the proceedings formal and maintain authority; easily frustrated and sensitive when someone objects to his control; inadequate for the job as foreman, not a natural leader and over-shadowed by Batman # 8's natural leadership.
• Batman #2: A wimpy, balding bank clerk/teller/Batman, easily persuaded, meek, hesitant, goes along with the majority, eagerly offers cough drops and batarangs to other Batmen during tense times of argument; better memory than # 4.
• Batman #3: Runs a messenger service (the "Wayne Enterptises" Company), a bullying, rude and husky Batman, extremely opinionated and biased, completely intolerant, forceful and loud-mouthed, temperamental and vengeful; estrangement from his own teenaged son causes him to be hateful and hostile toward all young people (and the defendant); arrogant, quick-angered, quick-to-convict, and defiant until the very end.
• Batman #4: Well-educated, smug and conceited, well-dressed stockbroker & crusader of the night, presumably wealthy; studious, methodical, possesses an incredible recall and grasp of the facts of the case; common-sensical, dispassionate, cool-headed and rational, yet stuffy and prim; often displays a stern glare; treats the case like a puzzle to be deductively solved rather than as a case that may send the defendant to death; claims that he never sweats.
• Batman #5: Naive, insecure, frightened, reserved; grew up in a poor Jewish urban neighborhood and the case resurrected in his mind that slum-dwelling upbringing and his never ending war on crime; a guilty vote would distance him from his past; nicknamed "Baltimore" by Batman # 7 because of his support of the Orioles.
• Batman #6: A typical "working man," dull-witted, experiences difficulty in making up his own mind, a follower; probably a manual laborer or painter or dark knight; respectful of older batmen and willing to back up his words with fists.
• Batman #7: Clownish, impatient salesman (of marmalade the previous year), a flashy dresser, gum-chewing, obsessed baseball fan who wants to leave as soon as possible to attend evening game; throws wadded up paper balls at the fan; uses baseball metaphors and references throughout all his statements (he tells the foreman to "stay in there and pitch"); lacks complete human concern for the defendant and for the immigrant juror; extroverted; keeps up amusing banter and even impersonates Adam West at one point; votes with the majority.
• Batman #8: An architect, instigates a thoughtful reconsideration of the case against the accused; symbolically clad in white; a liberal-minded, patient world's greatest detective who uses soft-spoken, calm logical reasoning; balanced, decent, courageous, well-spoken and concerned; considered a do-gooder (who is just wasting others' time) by some of the prejudiced batman; named Wayne.
• Batman #9: Eldest batman in group, white-haired, thin, retiring and resigned to death but has a resurgence of life during deliberations; soft-spoken but perceptive, fair-minded; named Matches Malone.
• Batman #10: A garage owner, who simmers with anger, bitterness, racist bigotry & a hatred of criminals who are a superstitious cowardly lot; nasty, repellent, intolerant, reactionary and accusative; segregates the world into 'us' and 'them'; needs the support of others to reinforce his manic rants.
• Batman #11: A playboy millionaire, speaks with a heavy accent, of German-European descent, a recent refugee and immigrant; expresses reverence and respect for American democracy and costume adventuring, its system of justice, and the infallibility of the Law.
• Batman #12: Well-dressed, smooth-talking business ad man with thick black glasses and a black cowl; doodles cereal box slogan and packaging ideas for "Rice Pops"; superficial, easily-swayed, and easy-going; vacillating, lacks deep convictions or belief system; uses advertising talk at one point: "run this idea up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes it"

Week #50 A New Movie Musical (Possibly The Mishap Movie) - Movie

So, because there’s something very wrong with me (or possibly very right depending on your perspective) I bought a collection of old movie musicals on DVD from half price books (hey it was only $10 for 50 movies, that’s like 20 cents a movie!)

After watching a few of these I realized that most of the plots seemed to contain the same basic few steps.

Step 1: Two young men who may or may not be brothers head out into the world to make a name for themselves (usually at least one of them is a songwriter allowing for an easy pretense to segue into musical numbers.)

Step 2: They meet a wholesome, pretty, likable, witty young woman whom they both develop feelings for.

Step 3: They get some sort of opportunity for a big break. While preparing for it they meet all sorts of quirky characters who help them on there way.

Step 4: They have a falling out over the girl.

Step 5: In some way the girl manages to bring them back together usually aiding them on there way to success at the same time. (i.e. planning a big concert and inviting a major talent scout then convincing both the friends/brothers to play the concert without them knowing that they’ll both be there until the last minute.)

I’ve always liked movie musicals but most of the recent ones have left me a little cold. None of them seem like really unique pieces of art in their own right. Most seem to be either new stories with music from an established pop band (i.e. Momma Mia, Across the Universe) or movie musicals based on stage musicals based on films that weren't musicals (The producers, hairspray).

What I’d like to do is a movie with an entirely original plot as well as songs. A revisiting of the old form as described above but in modern times with modern sensibilities.

I don’t write music or know how to make a movie so this one probably won’t progress much past an idea unless someone else wants help out.

It did occur to me while I was writing this that this could be the perfect format for the Mishap Rock and Roll Movie I wanted to make. We could have have James Call and Ryan Beebe be the two brothers coming to the big city to make it big. How could we go wrong?

Week #49 The Spam Mail Coffee Table Book - Book

So this weeks project comes straight from the brain of the illustrious James Hughes Call.

The idea is to make a glossy, thick coffee table book that contains the best spam-junk mail sent to either his or one of his associates emails.

The book would be about 30 to 40 pages with the text from the Spam on one page and the an illustration inspired by it by Adam Beebe on the page facing it.

I think this would be a pretty awesome object to have exist. I’m not sure if any of us have the actual motivation or money to get it printed but I’m sure it will be mentioned in my book “Greg Travis James Call Greg Travis” and in James’ one man show we’ve been working on.

Even if we never make a large run it would be worth it to just make a few now that places like cafe press exist.

My favorite piece so far is one I just got the other day in my very own inbox:

show me the way

What's going on

I knew that I stuck my focus particularly on the local store that I failed to take you into consideration. But it's not very late for me as I saw through the http://docs.google.com/doc?id=dcdn4kwd_0dfb8mrfq you insisted about last time. For another time you are accurate...I was able to benefit from the same quality of tablets at a much practical charging.


Defined insurgencies Veteran hindsight opening Cascade Jersey, reporting mountain Intelligence Griffin or Revenge.
Read image release warehouses mis, escalate.



I'm look forward to talking to you later
Otman

Week #47 History Choose Your Own Adventure - Websitr

Yet another idea I came up with while talking to James Call. This one we actually talked about in person, as he's visiting the west coast this week.

The idea's fairly self explanatory and has probably been done before in some capacity still it's too good of an idea not to write up.

The essential concept is to use the old "choose your own adventure" format but apply it to world history. The website would simply follow history then at crucial moments it would give you a series of options as to what should happen next. Like the "Nazis win the war" or "Bill Clinton is impeached" or "Alexander never left Macedonia"

Depending on what option you choose we tell you what would happen next and what the world would look like.

This is an idea that's really perfect for James but I think to make it really work it would have to be a huge website so we'd need a lot of people's help. It would be awesome if we could get Mike Webber to work on the site so it could look something like this.

Week #45 James Call’s World - Conceptual Art

So I didn’t have any idea what to post for this week so I asked James Call if he had any ideas this was his response:

"Yeah I think the backgrounds in Super Mario Brothers 1 and other famous video games should be filtered out (like, filter out blue or black, etc.) and replaced with congressional hearings, documentaries about torture, etc. I also think old episodes of Love Connection should be randomly interspersed in the middle of any given television show, especially news programming, like someone needs to invent a machine that does that. I also think occupying an entire city block and populating it entirely with cats and dogs - only humans allowed are caretakers, who can only visit - should happen.”

My idea would be to either work this into my ideas for project #25 (The James Project) or #37 (Greg Travis James Call Greg Travis).

Either way I think the best way to do it is to document these ideas as if James had already done them complete with pictures of there completion and critical/popular responses to them.

Week #44 Mishap Trading Cars - Trading Cards

This is an idea that actually belongs to two other people.

The idea is simple and fairly self explanatory. Trading cards with pictures of all the various members of Mishap Productions. The front having a picture and name of the member on it and the back containing facts and statistics about the person.

The first person to attempt this was James Call. He made a bunch of them back when we where living in New York. He used to hand them out at German Cars Vs. American Homes shows. You can see mine here. Or the Beebe brother’s one below.

A couple months back Kirsten Goldberg (Aka KGB) had pretty much the exact same idea. She sent out an email about it and we bounced a bunch of ideas back and forth. Eventually we decided it would be cool to make them like Magic the Gathering cards where we’d all have weird statistics like “smarmyness” and special abilities “exeptional sleeping power”.

We never got around to making the actual cards but it’s never too late. The idea just keeps seeming better and better.

Week #42 The James Hughes Call Show - Performance Piece

For the past ten years or so I’ve been promoting and producing the music of James Call. Either in the guise of the Missing Teens, German Cars Vs. American Homes, James Call Erotic Photo Hunt or just plane James Call, I’ve booked show for him, produced albums & done pretty much every promotion thing I could think of.

Recently it occurred to me that maybe we’ve been going at the wrong way. Maybe James isn’t a rock star, maybe he’s a performance artist.

I’ve loved James’ recordings for years but what’s always really sold him is his performances. Nearly everyone who’s ever seen him has loved him and recently his performances have become a truly ecstatic experience. They’ve also become more and more conceptual.

My idea, which I’ve been running by James every time I see him recently, is to have James perform with semi-scripted banter between his songs. We’d bill him as a sort of musical motivational speaker and he’d perform every weekend for three or four weeks like a play. He’s be aided by video, a power point presentation and maybe even celebrity guests.

James of coarse would have to do most of the writing (hopefully aided by at least one of the Greg Travis’) so the content would really be up to him. I figure we could have either a band or pre-recorded music or a little of both.

Obviously this was all reliant on James but if we could pull it off I’d be totally down to produce it here in San Francisco and maybe in New York possibly even in connection in some way with Sleepwalkers Theatre.

Week #41 Larry’s Idea for a Comic - Web Comic

Originally when I started this blog I wanted to feature some projects by other people. Alas this never really worked out.

However last week I received the following email from my good friend and fellow comic book geek Larry Luna.

I decided to make it this weeks project:

“I was thinking a good idea for a comic strip would be for any group of us to all tell the same true story but all from our own perspective. For example, with out seeing or being influenced by each others strips we would each write/draw a strip telling a funny or interesting story we all experienced. So if there were four of us at said "story" we would end up with four different versions/strips of that story. I got the idea when I talked to james about the time I punched him in the balls. Hearing his perspective was hilarious, so I think that should be our first strip, The mishap prom where the prom king got socked in the balls mid performance by a drunk mexican and a dog ferociously barked from the audience. I think this should be one of many random web comics on a webcomic blog we need to finally start.”

It’s a good idea and one everyone involved in is really excited about. What I need to do my part of this comic is find someone to draw it. Preferably someone who wasn’t there and doesn’t know the people involved. That way we can add a whole new element the Rashomon angle of this project.

Week #37 Greg Travis James Call Greg Travis - The Emails from New York During the First Decade of the New Century - Book

Recently I received this email from a guy named Greg Travis who I’d only met once or twice:

Vermont

Will you write a song called vermont

Or will you waste your FREE TIME.

What an opportinity you have and you don't even realize it.

Make something. CREATE SOMETHING.

Draw a picture and give it to someone.

Take your time doing it.

Make it PERFECT.

Call someone on the telephone.

Remember These?

.

Make it a priority in your life to make it to Vermont at some point

To bask in the colors of the leaves.

-GT

Oddly enough Greg has a half-brother also named Greg Travis. This Greg Travis I know much better I got this email from him recently:

Dicko Asscock & The Mind Police
> Live @ The Paladium
> $8

Dr. Wehrner Milliner And The Atrocious Techniques
w/ opener Tilly Jones of Magna Carta Cumshot
http://com.com.com.com.com.com.com.com.com.com/index.htm

At the Williamsburg Hôpital, corner of Wythe & Tégument

(2,000 P.M. Twentieth drink free. May-December love affairs get in
free. Special all-night shows on quarterly tax deadlines. Sixtieth
drink free. Space heaters available on request. No clapping. 2.5
baths, eat in kitchen, access to good schools. Murder, she wrote.
Tilly Jones appears courtesy Children's Television Workshop. Caution:
earplugs. Four dead in Ohio. I can't believe it's not yogurt. What
the hell is up with Jarmusch these days? You can't find good help
anymore.)

That email was forwarded to me from James Call. Both Greg Travis’ where in James’ band at one time or another.

James sends me things like this:

July... a time when people's thoughts turn to hot eggnog and presents under the tree. But did you know that July is also Rick James Awareness Month?

Rick James was born in a city we call Buffalo, 30 degrees below, but he didn't remain there long, soon entering America's hearts and minds as one of our premiere recording artists.

Rick James recorded several of his finest records at the Record Plant in Sausalito, CA (in my very own Marin County, back before the yuppies took over), where later Huey Lewis & The News would record the album "Sports"*. He was famous for simply dictating his assorted bass, horn, guitar and synth lines to his backing band, a la "No, it goes duh-doodledoodledoodledoodle-duh-duh-duh-DOOT," etc. From such non-traditional directions, Hits were made.

Though James is well known for capturing a 24-year old girl in his basement, typing her up for 6 days, forcing her to perform sexual acts, and burning her with a crack cocaine pipe, often overlooked is his even more horrific torture of Motown group the Temptations. James kept the Temptations in an environmentally sealed chamber and would only release them to bark terrible commands at them, such as "TEMPTATIONS SING!" It is alleged that James kept the Temptations alive by feeding them the flesh of lesser Motown groups, including the Spinners and the original Bar-Kays.

Though most well known for his super-hit "Superfreak," which would later be sampled by Stanely "M.C. Hammer" Burrell in the form of "U Can't Touch This," Rick James has produced countless hits along similar lines. Today, we present to you two quality examples of Mr. James' more frenetic work. Enjoy.

* August is Huey Lewis awareness month.

I’ve been receiving emails like this from the three of them for a long time. I’ve been keeping them in a little folder on my computer called “web art”. I wasn’t sure what else to call it.

After receiving Greg’s “Vermont” email I was inspired to put them all together as book for the rest of the world to enjoy. I thought I’d bind it and market it sort of like one of those books of letters between famous people.

The fact that two of the people where named Greg Travis just made it that much better.

All I’d really need to put this together would be copies of illustrator and photoshop and maybe someone who actually knows how to use them. Then I just need to wait until the end of the decade and I’ll print up some short runs of them.

Week #36 The Apartment - Comic

Way back in the early days of 2001, shortly before 9/11, I was living in New York City with Adam Beebe, James Call and James’ then girlfriend Barbara P. King. Three very creative people.

One night, right after we’d finished showing Barbara the last episode of Twin Peaks, we all got inspired and huddled together in front of my computer to create a surrealist story of our own.

We had all recently become very interested in comic books so we decided our story would be a comic. Although James and Adam we’re very good artists neither of them had the patients to draw and entire realistic comic book so we decided we’d create a photo comic. A comic book made up entirely of posed photographs and word bubbles.

The comic we developed was pretty awesome. It starred the four of us as roommates who wake up every morning in our apartment with no memory of how they got there or exactly who they where.

We did a couple of shoots for it but never got very far. I’ve included the whole script we came up with for the first issue below. It’s pretty awesome stuff.

Considering that we all live in different cities now (except me and Adam) there’s little chance we’ll ever finish it the way we wanted to. Still if we got some interest or inspiration we could always “recast” or have someone draw it as a normal comic.

“HOUSE” or “APARTMENT”

NO THOUGHT BUBBLES, NO NARRATIVE

We are stuck inside house : we never know what is going on and we always forget things.

There is something very bad outside, keeping us in!!!

Every morning, a different character is reading the newspaperr about a terrorist attack, India-Pakistan War, etc. This ALWAYS IS NEW to the characters, and the reactions of the characters to the news is revealing about their character, but always an “initial shock”

Perhaps there is a House of Consciousness to match the House of Ignorance?

Hearing screaming, but never recognizing it; as if screaming is alien to the charac ters, as infants

Characters are terrorized by outside weather

Barbara realizes hunger, and enters outside, sees an evil small girl. Upon returning, there is food in the house; Barbara begins to realize something about outside world, but the other characters deny it, and even to Barbara it is a mystery. For example, when she returns, the others say, “But, you were just in the bathroom,” and then she begins to doubt herself. Thus she is left with a sense that something is wrong (e.g., spidey sense), but cannot quite place it...

Children are evil. Animals are good.

Other characters enter and exit the household

plate breaking randomly in four pieces

CHARACTERS

Characters often use nicknames: “Dad,” “The Girl,” “That Asshole,” and “Junkie”

James (Enron)
- level headed, silent, strong
- Christian (moderate); strong moral system
- right wing; prepared for whatever happens
- Speaks many languages and knows literature; reads a lot

Damian (Ratso)
- drug addict; genuinely unhealthy
- feels dread when not on drugs

Barbara (Miss)
- high alert; curious; alarmed; “danger sense”; haunted by demons; ESP; i.e., archetype of “aware” hero (Dale Cooper, the Matrix guy, Peter Parker, etc.)
- visions

Adam (Sim)
- aloof jerk; cynical and bitter (like Jason Hogg or Albert)
- Manipulative. It is a habit and he manipulates without reason.
- Spontaneous, irrational
- Adam arranges chairs and other objects. Perhaps reflective of personality?

Relationships:

NO ONE EVER KNOWS why they relate to each other as they do, and the actions stemming from their relationships often come as surprises

Barbara and James are in a romantic / sexual relationship; adolescent
Barbara once had romance with Damian; Barbara (unconsciously) wants to maintain friendship but Damian (also unconsciously) wants to put the past behind.
Barbara and Adam = Brother and Sister
James is caring towards Adam, who tries to manipulate him but cannot, because of feelings of latent guilt
James and Damian disapprove of each other’s character.
Adam is slowly ruining Damian’s life, but Damian thinks he’s a great guy

When certain things are said (in presence of all characters), every character leaves the room and forgets what has just happened. Perhaps this reminds them of past disturbing incident?

Someone finds toilent clogged; all go into bathroom to stare. Someone then says, “Can you please leave? I’m trying to take a shower.” They’ve all forgotten what happens

Regional slang distinct to house

People occasionally raise memories, which scares them all who stop

It does not occur to the characters that they were children! The demons are all children... if childhood memories emerge, they upset all the characters

Talking dogs?

James turns into bowling ball?

Barbara sees face in window

People who come over are treated innoculously
They live outside “the city”; which city is never noted

As story continues, Barbara gains more consciousness, the story heats up... as it does, James, Damian and Adam vanish or go away.

One recurring character continues to check for Barbara’s pregnancy. These shots are MINIMAL, OFFSCREEN and MYSTERIOUS (completely to audience and even to most of the characters!)

Bill Clinton as potted plant?

Ana? as recurring character who brings basket of drugs. Relationship with Damian? (he would be ignorant, but not her)

Adam is always alone.

Tore as James’ incredibly right wing friend? dressed in fatigues.. SCRIPT - Story breakdown

1. Adam by himself, waking
2. Damian by himself, waking
3. James and Barbara by themselves, waking
4. Adam gets newspaper, sits in kitchen
5. Damian enters, and Adam says “blah di blah” (about the news event)
6. Damian says, “What’s news?” and looks inside empty cabinet (back of head shot)
7. Adam reacts “blah di blah” while Damian opens refrigerator; we see it is empty
8. Shot of Adam opening empty milk carton, while Damian responds dully from off-panel
9. Barbara’s hand
10. Barbara and James, silent; hand in same position. Barbara is contemplating hand.
11. Barbara’s face, confused (wondering if she is married)
12. James and Barbara, looking at each other, confused, feared. Barbara states “We’re not married.”
13. Another silent panel. SAME SHOT as last panel, as both characters contemplate situation.
14. Same shot. James says, “There’s a pain in my stomach,” and gets up out of bed.
15. James enters kitchen, and greets the others. All four characters are seen (Barbara seen through door). I.e, this shot is from hallway outside of bathroom. James says “Hello,” and the other two respond.
16. James tells others, “The young lady is in my bed.” The others respond. The dialogue should show that this event was unexpected and a revelation.
17. Barbara enters kitchen. She is surprised to see Adam and Damian. Adam, Damian and James are having a conversation about what they are going to do today (although they have no idea, and no idea what there is to do)
J: “So, what are you gentlemen going to do today?”
A: “Same thing I always do: Nothing!”
D: “There’s something I have to do today.”
18. Barbara walks into Adam’ room, looking for the bathroom.
A: “Do you have work?”
D: “I don’t think so, not today.”
A: “I’m not going to work today either. My stomach hurts.”
19. Barbara exiting Adam’s room.
B: (outloud, but not to others) “I thought this was the bathroom!”
20. Barbara walks to real bathroom.
D: “Way to go, Einstein!”
J: (laughing) “I can’t remember the last time either of you went to work!”
21. Three guys, uncomfortably laughing. (Barbara in bathroom)
J: “Or myself for that matter.”
A: “Where do you work?”
J: “The city.”
22. Barbara exits bathroom.
B: “I tried to vomit, but nothing came out of my mouth.”
A: “Do you have a problem with vomiting?”
J: “Mind your manners.” (to A)
D: (jokingly) “Yeah, shut up punk.”
23. All of them in the kitchen.
D: “I feel like I haven’t eaten in three days.”
B: “You haven’t eaten for three days. None of us have.”
24. All walk silently into living room.
25. All have sat down, and all are quite serious.
J: “None of us have eaten in three days.”
A: “Yep.”
B: “Well, shouldn’t we do something about it?”
A: (condescending) “We should eat.”
26. Same shot. Barbara alarmed.
B: “Wait. Where is the food?”
A: “The food’s outside, lady.”
J: “Some respect.”
D: “Someone has to go get food.”
27. Adam’s face. Angry, shocked.
28. James’ face. Concerned.
29. Damian’s face. Worried, queasy.
30. Barbara’s face. Alarmed.
B: “Well I am not going outside!”
31. James’ face.
J: “I don’t think it prudent for any of us to leave.”
32. Damian’s face.
D: “Fuck no.”
33. Adam’s face.
A: “Why don’t you guys go. I’ve got something to do.”
34. Same shot as 25-26.
D: “You don’t even know what you have to do!”
J: “Be considerate. We all have things to do.”
A: “Listen General, you don’t even know what ‘doing something’ is!”
B: “Be quiet be quiet be quiet!”
35. Same shot. Silence.
36. Same shot.
J: “Miss, are you alright?”
D: “Yeah, what is it?”
A: “That time of month again, or just crack?”
37. Damian gets up and goes to bathroom. James gets up and heads towards kitchen (Barbara looks at him). Adam goes as well, to finish reading newspaper.
D: “I’ve got to take my medication.”
A: “Maybe I should take your medication too.”
38. Barbara and James.
B: “Enron, where are you going?”
J: “Just... to...”
39. Damian emerges from bathroom with pills in hand
D: “Where is my tequila?”
B: (Holding bottle, very confused.) “Right here...”
40. Kitchen. Adam reading newspaper with James looking over shoulder.
J: “Say friend, what’s in the news today?”
A: “Nothing you’d like, understand or be interested in.”
J: “What is of interest to one man is of interest to all men. No value can be assigned to knowledge.”
A: “Totally. Write a book.”
41. Damian takes pill with liquor, as he walks back into living room. Barbara watching intently. Damian does not look at her.
42. Damian and Barbara in living room. Damian is irritated that she is watching him.
D: “I do this everyday, you know.”
B: “You do?”
D: “Oh.”
43. Barbara thinking.
44. Damian and Barbara, still in living room. Damian is leaving to another room.
D: “Where are my cigarettes?”
45. Barbara thinking.
46. Shot of the door.
47. Closer shot of door.
48. Still closer shot of door.
49. Damian re-entering living room.
D: “It’s time for you to go get the food. And get me some cigarettes while you’re out there.”
50. Barbara enters kitchen and begins putting on coat, etc.. James is still looking over Adam’s shoulder.
J: “Will you be doing the crossword?”
51. Barbara has put on coat and the others notice her. Damian enters from living room.
J: “That coat looks very becoming on you.”
A: “If I was on you, I’d be coming too.”
52. Different angle shot. Adam, Damian and Barbara laughing hysterically. James with arms crossed.
J: (under his breath) “Honestly.”
53. Laughing ends. Barbara nervous.
54. Barbara and door. Barbara looks at it.
55. Barbara’s face.
B: “Well, I’m going now.”
56. Shot of the others. All are nervous.
D: “It’s for the best.”
J: “Yes, that’s true.”
57. Shot of the handle of the door.
B: “Goodbye.”
58. ALL BLACK.
B: “See you later.”
59. Diagonal shot of hallway. Barbara is walking through it.
60. Same shot. Barbara is getting closer.
61. Same shot. Barbara is incredible close; perhaps so close that not her entire body appears in the shot (i.e., just her arm, face, etc.)
62. Shot of front door, from inside perspective. Perhaps with back of Barbara’s head?
63. Barbara’s hand on front door doorknob
64. Adam, Damian and James are standing and looking at each other. Their look should suggest that they are either concerned and worried, or perhaps conspiring!
65. Outside shot of front door. Barbara is sticking her head out, looking around.
66. Shot of Barbara’s face. She is stunned; she is looking up at other floors of building.
67. Shot of upper floors. Shot from Barbara’s perspective (i.e., person standing outside of front door looking immeadiately up)
68. Shot of Barbara’s eyes. (concerned; she senses something)
69. Same shot; Barbara’s eyes now blink, or seem weary.
70. Blurry shot of Barbara’s eyes, closing.
71. Shot of Barbara passed out on porch from little girl’s perspective. A small tuft of hair - the top of the girl’s head - can be seen at bottom of shot to establish her presence.
72. Upwards shot of little girl from from ground. Perhaps Barbara’s body can be seen on the ground from this perspective.
73. Close up on Barbara, waking up dizzily. Body or upper body.
74. Same shot. Barbara is horrified.
75. Straight-on shot of little girl. Now she holds a birthday cake.
76. Shot of Barbara with hand on the door.
77. Shot of hallway. Barbara entering door in haste.
78. Shot of Barbara stumbling to the ground.
79. Barbara crawls forward along ground. (upsetting angle perhaps)
80. Barbara reaches up to open apartment door.
81. The door is wide open. Barbara can be seen on the ground. The others are there in the kitchen. They are sitting around a table laden with good food. They look overjoyed.
J: “Just in time for dinner!”
A: “Manga manga!”
82. Shot of turkey carving or salad being tossed. Wine glasses are being toasted.
83. Shot of Barbara standing. She picks up a glass of wine but looks confused.
84. Same shot. Barbara is standing with a grin on her face and her glass of wine.
85. Toast? The toast should either be an old corny toast or perhaps foreshadowing.

The girl skips away. then she will re-enter to find her happy roommates with a huge dinner. She will suddenly be fine again, without knowing why, and remembering little.

Week #25 (Now with Pictures!) The James Project

I’ve known James Call for a good deal of my life. I met him in high school. I’ve lived with him for four years in Queens. I’ve traveled with him to China. I’ve spent way too much time talking about comic books with him.

Seeing James perform recently in New York I was struck as I usually am by what a truly unique creature he is. It reminded me of a project I’ve wanted to do since my last days living with him.

James creates endless amounts of things. Music, drawings, writing, scraps of paper with strange notes on them. He once made a large flow chart of all the ways he knows his friends. He’s also responsible for shit like the map below.

What I want to do is take all the stuff James has created in his entire life and, in the tradition of a few of my recent projects, invent an entire history as if we didn’t know James. Like an anthropological study of who we think this person is based entirely on all the object and documents we found in his room.

Or alternatively and even better we can give all his creations to someone who truly doesn’t know him and have them come up with a biography for him. We should be able to find someone I mean isn’t that what the internet is for?

Week #24 The Mishap Movie - Film

Having recently watched Rock & Roll High School again I got inspired to make a rock & roll movie. Films like Help, The Girl Can’t Help it, Tougher than Leather even Spice World have alway held a special place in my heart. Movies with flimsy plots and often just as flimsy acting. Films set up to highlight the music of whatever artist or artists it was made for. Movies that, although not the best craft wise, are always fun to watch because you can see the people making them are having so much fun.

I want to make one of these for Mishap Productions. My only real concrete idea of what I want it to be is that I’d like to have all the people even vaguely connected to Mishap both play a role and perform in some way.

A couple of ideas I came up with while talking to James Call about it over the past few days:

A classic film noir where all the Gomorran’s play gangsters and the Missing Teens play cops

A gangster story about a power struggle due to the death of the mob boss “God”

Shooting on both coasts but presenting them as one city so characters would get in the subway in NYC and get out in San Francisco.

Stealing overdramatic lines from other films to insert in at inappropriate times.

Most of these where just stuff we came up with while bullshitting. I’d really like to make one of these movies some time. We wouldn’t have to come up with much of a script just some basic ideas then start shooting. I have a camera. What I really need is a very patient editor.

Week #16 Crippled by Depression- Comics Anthology

Crippled by Depression was originally a comics anthology me and Adam Beebe wanted to do for years. The idea was to have a cover like an EC comic but instead of saying “Tales from the CRYPT”, It would be “Crippled by DEPRESSION”, and all the stories would be about people unable to live up to there potential. We even toyed with the idea of having like a slob guy as the host in the place of the Crypt Keeper.

A few years after we came up with the idea we actually sort of used the title to cross-promote our one-off zines, crippled by depression #1 was 22 Poems about Girls I saw on the Subway and #2 was Adam’s documented foray into online dating “Why Don’t Nobody Love Me?”.

Still I’d like to do the actual comic some day. I know Adam drew a three page thing for the inside, James Call has been writing a sort of monthly thing and Larry Luna drew a cover a while back which was pretty awesome. I guess it’s mostly up to me to take the reigns and do this if it’s gonna get done but if there’s anyone out there making comics let me know, if we get enough content I could put it together pretty easily.

Week #7 12 Angry Batmen-Play

Alright, this one’s kinda’ a throw away, although it’s a really good idea that someone should do sometime. It would be truly genius. It’s an idea for a play I came up with James Call of the Missing Teens.

The Idea is simple, we want to put on a production of the play 12 Angry Men by Reginald Rose played entirely straight but with all the actors dressed as Batman.

That’s it that’s my idea for this week. I can’t do much better. I opened a super awesome play this weekend called “The Short and Happy Life”. If anyone’s reading this you should go see that, it’s pretty much one of the best projects I’ve ever been involved with.