The Long Hair of Death: My Binghamton Experience

As I got off of I-81 just before 11am Friday morning, a Broome County Sheriff's car zoomed right by us. We made a left and drove down Front Street, and made another left at the intersection. The rest of Front Street had been blocked off. My father and I weren't totally sure what was going on--maybe there was an accident, or a domestic disturbance. I was dropped off at the Holiday Inn, where I was annoyed by the fact that I'd left my Driver's License and Debit Card back home.

Ten minutes later, my father called me, and told me there had been a shooting, and that's what the scene was. Initially, I thought maybe it had been a singular incident.

I wended my way down Court Street, taking care of some pre-interview errands. I marvelled at what Court Street has become. A lot of the buildings that were unoccupied when I first made Are You From Bingo? were now housing restaurants, boutiques, gyms, and bars. I felt like I was seeing the progress that the interviewees were talking to me about in 2005.

Ten more minutes, and my father called again. He told me that there had been multiple shootings, possibly multiple deaths, and that it was "A really bizarre situation," and he speculated that it would make national news. Shortly after I met my camera guy, the office of Mayor Matthew Ryan called to cancelled the interview we had scheduled for 2:30.

In spite of the increasingly gruesome circumstances, my first interview went well. We touched upon the shootings that had just happened, even though I really had little idea of what the details were. Other than that, we talked about what I had planned on talking about. The person who funded my movie was the next person I interviewed, and that interview went pretty much the same way. After we finished his interview, we stuck around his office, and watched Mayor Ryan's press conference on CNN.

Tragedies aside, it was very rainy. My feet were soaking wet, and I had only one other dry pair of socks for the next day. So on top of being worried about the shootings, I had wet feet most of the day.

Later on, we got some footage at Little Venice of people watching the news. I also talked with a woman who was friends with the receptionist who dialed 911. We did a few interviews of people's thoughts on the situation, shot some footage of the media trucks, then called it a night.

Among the witnesses that were interviewed on TV was the mother of one of my interview subjects, an interview I had scheduled for Saturday. She lives across the street from the Civic Association, and that interview did not happen. I did, however, manage to shoot some B-Roll of some places that were in Bingo on Antique Row, and we shot footage of the Civic Association, as well as the media shooting reports and footage from the Civic Association.

I did manage to get two interviews in, one with a girl who manages a boutique my funder owns on Washington St., and an interview with another couple who renovated the building. The wife had a baby girl March 18th, and stayed off camera. After the people who owned the stores downstairs kicked us out, we wrapped. I told my camera guy that I'd stay in touch in regards to rescheduling.

I got back just after 8pm. Earlier today, I typed up my trip in much more intricate detail than I've written here.

The question for me is, "What now?" In all honesty, I had been doing some thinking about a sequel before this happened, but that the shooting wouldn't commence for a few years yet. Now, I'm not so sure. I definitely want to finish the DVD and finish the interviews, and I guess I'll determine what I want to do from there.

In the meantime, I'm hoping to work on the Stanley Kubrick/Jan Harlan panel from SXSW to help seperate myself from the experience (something I would've done anyway), then I'll take a look at the footage later this week. But it looks like I will have to resume the fundraiser.

Brainstorm!

Today I was working on the DVD when I had a brainstorm.

Rather than do follow-up interviews, why not tack on an epilogue at the end of the movie, following up on everyone instead? Then I don't have to worry about anyone's feelings being hurt, and maybe even save some money. I plan on leaving up the fundraiser, because I may still do the Current TV thing. But the further I get into this project, the sooner I want it done.

Tomorrow I'm going to Ithaca. It'll be the first time I've been back since my job ended. I plan on stopping at the Workforce office there, among other things. I'm praying to God that the worst of Winter is over.

Back Into the Workforce

The interview didn't go too well. Well, it went okay, until she started grilling me about the position I got fired from. I don't think I'll get it, which is fine by me--it wasn't like I wanted to stand in one place all day anyway.

After the interview, I stopped by at the Workforce New York to fill out an application. I finished filling it out here, and I plan on dropping it off tomorrow. Workforce maintains catalogs of job openings. I plan on looking through them tomorrow, and stopping by once a week thereafter until I find work.

Speaking of unemployment, I have decided to put off new interviews until either A.) I have some type of employment or B.) There's enough money in place to carry this out. With that being said, I'm keeping the fundraiser open and working on making the movie available as a download. I plan on writing the interviewees and letting them know, and that I will be in touch.

Let the Wind Carry Me

I'm feeling a little bit better about my situation. Tonight I'm going to take a look at a room that's available. The only thing is, the other two people there (I believe) are college kids, and the lease runs until July.

I suppose I can get another job if worse comes to worse, but I didn't really want to stay in Ithaca long this time. I just wanted to work, do my DVD, and keep my options open. My mother mentioned she'd help me out with rent, but I am tired of depending on them. I know there's the option of subletting, but that's not a guarantee, either. I suppose I can figure that all out when the job (and the DVD) are over.

I know that this isn't a great time for anyone on a financial level, but I'm tired of bouncing from menial job to menial job, and even if I can't make a living making movies and writing, I'd like to have a full time living working in something in that field.

Catching Up

I've been very busy going back and forth between my mother's house and to Ithaca to work. During the week, I stay with a friend, and on the weekends, I come back to my mother's house. I'm hoping to get a place of my own, just for next month. I'm looking into house-sitting, or renting a room for a month. Where I am right now is a little cramped, and I just want my own space for a little while.

On Thursday, I went to my Aunt and Uncle's house outside Rochester for Thanksgiving. We used to go to their place all the time for Thanksgiving, and this was our first time in five years. I had fun seeing my cousins, and my cousin's children: her daughter is a riot, and her son, while only three months old, looks twice that age and can actually hold his head up. Later on that day, we went to my cousin's house, where we had pie and hung around more babies.

I really didn't do much Friday and Saturday, except that I did clean, and looked for the hard drive that had Are You From Bingo? on it. When I will return this weekend, I will look for it some more.

Speaking of Are You From Bingo?, The Finger Lakes Times ran a piece on the DVD Fundraiser. I did the interview Monday and Friday. It's pretty lengthy, with a couple of pictures from the movie. Now that I'm a little more settled, I'm hoping to put more of my energy into this DVD. If I could only find that Hard Drive...

Back to work...man, I hate parking.

Had it! Had it! Had it!

Earlier tonight, I tried to back my father's truck out of the very narrow driveway, and almost broke the mirror on the passenger side door. I'm going to try and get the truck out again tomorrow. I wrote a note to the people who owned the station wagon next to it...hopefully, I'll get them to back their car out so I can back mine. I'm going back to my mother's house and staying overnight to get a few things because...

I started my job on Wednesday. I came in Monday, packed to stay until Thursday, and found out Tuesday afternoon that they wanted me the next day. I had to do laundry after I got back Wednesday. Otherwise, I really like my job so far. My supervisor is a very nice guy, and asked me about my filmmaking. I think it's a very good opportunity for me get an opportunity to use my Computer Art Degree...five years after I recieved it.

But back to my truck. I'm sick of having to take the truck back & forth and panic every time I go to park it. I told both my parents that I don't want to drive it anymore. Pray to God I hope I can get out there without an accident.

Meanwhile, my fundraiser has started. Donate what you can!

The Long Road Ahead

Now that things have begun to settle down (if only for awhile), I've been thinking about the things I would like to do in the future. One of the things I would like to do eventually is return to the UCB Theater in New York and take more improv courses, and perhaps even their writing courses. The big question is not only how I will go about funding this, but how will I support myself for the duration of my marticulation.

I suppose that if this is what I desire, it will happen and everything will take care of itself.

In addition to returning to Ithaca tomorrow, I will also be launching my DVD fundraiser. Please look at the website, and give what you can afford.

Indie A Go-Go! (Happy Veteran's Day)

Last night I set up a store at Cafe Press. Now you can buy merchandise with this blog's awesome logo!

I'm still getting the DVD Fundraiser set up as well. I remembered that IndieGoGo has a lot of options where you can upload photos and video, which is what I'm working on right now. I was going to start the fundraiser last Friday, but I want to upload a few more things before I officially get anything started. As you can see, I have links to both the fundraiser and the store on my blogroll.

Today is Veteran's Day, so I'm off to lunch with my father (a Navy vet) and my sister. Enjoy the holiday.