Happy No More

Finished my acting commitment to the "Happy Walter" project. This was the third Sunday in a row of shooting and I'm sad it's over as I was getting used to putting on the wacky clothes and slipping into Mr. Walter's skin for a few hours. Zoje Stage, the writer/director of this flick really made it easy for me, exhibiting buckets of patiences and providing lots of guidance to help me be "Happy". She's a great person to work with. I salute you Zoje! I haven't seen any of the footage yet, actually avoided watching any of the dailies while we were shooting as I feared seeing myself being "Happy" might throw me into a self-conscious zombie meltdown the next time I had to be on camera. Now that I have finished my bit, I'm going to check out some of the footage later this week. I got to say that I've really enjoyed getting to take on such a substantial and colorful role. It was a good opportunity to stretch my acting legs and see what I could really do. I feel satisfied with the work that I did, satisfied because it has fed a part of my creative soul that has gone hungry too long. I am at my best when I'm creating something, when I'm stepping into the arena and accepting the challenge of simply living my life as close to my true nature as I can.

zahdah

OK HW

I AM HAPPY

Today was the first day of production for "Happy Walter". I was pretty nervous as this was the biggest acting gig I have ever attempted and I had a fair chunk of dialogue to work with today. I worked hard to know my lines and it paid off when the camera rolled I was able to deliver the goods. It was a great way to begin the production. We had some minor drama early in the day when we were politely ejected from what we thought was a public park but turned out to be private property for an institution that will remain nameless. It probably provided the old security a good opportunity to use the golf cart and drive out and "handle a situation", though to his credit, he was respectful and patient. Hopefully that will be the last of the reality intrusions to the shoot, but you never know. Back to my lines studying lines.

OK HW

Who is Happy Walter?

This is the biggest film making news that I've had to share in a long time. I've been invited to play the lead role in a film called "Happy Walter", a Master Builder Production written and directed by Zoje Stage. Here's the official announcement from Zoje's site:

"- I am currently in production on a new feature-length film, a mockumentary called "Happy Walter"!!! Hal Weaver stars in the leading role, along with more than a dozen other Rochester & Pittsburgh residents (shooting will take place in both cities). The film will feature original music by Jonathan Young. This is a very exciting time for us! Check the website for more info."

I don't want to give anything away, but it's a cool idea with plenty of room for humor, commentary on the art world and dissection of Daddy issues. I'll keep you posted as more details come to light. Maybe Zoje will let me post a clip or two up here. I'm really looking forward to having another acting role and this one is the biggest yet. Although I have had a little acting experience (heck I even have an IMDB credit page), I'm glad that Zoje has an acting background and will be able to coach me if I start ACTING too much (gotta keep my Shatner under control).

OK, nuff said. I got to go practice being Happy.

OK HW

June Hiking Report

And this is the point where I say, "my, where did that month go?". Ahem. Well then, I barely squeaked in my miles for the big halfway point for 2006. Had to snap on the boots and hit the river trail for a quick 5 miles Friday, but it was a beautiful, warm day, and refreshing break from the roving thunder drenchers that have been making drive by dump and runs on upper state New York this week (and from what I see much of the east coast). I don't mind hiking in the rain, but do mind the lightening and not find of high winds, so I've been off the trail too much in the last couple of weeks. Onward.

May Hiking Report

Got some good miles in last month including some time walking all over both sides of Niagara Falls with my visiting Mom and sister Darlene. Hit 41 miles for the month, bringing the yearly total so far to 252. Just need 48 miles this month to meet the 50% mark. Should do that and more. Looking to do some longer hikes this month. Some more stuff along the Eerie canal and would love to get back in the hills, been doing too much flat walking lately.

Another African Mask Drawing

I'm in love with primitive art, especially African Masks. They radiate a purity, sincerity and power that I don't find in most fine art today. I believe that's because the motivates for creating art are less clear now. In tribal cultures, art had a definite value and role to play in societies well-being. Contemporary fine art (I'm speaking specifically about the USA here) on the other hand, is something shut away in museums and galleries and plays a tiny role in most people's daily life. The average Joe looks at "high art" as some kind of con game or puzzle that's too much effort for too little pay-off. Fine art also has some ass-kicking competition today from movies, TV, the internet, video games, etc., that primitive art never had to worry about. In fact, primitive art was the movies/TV/ internet of it's time, more fantastically interactive and 3-D then anything we have now, it literally danced-the-dance. So, another drawing from the pages of "Masks of Black Africa" by Ladislas Segy. This a " Mahongue" from Gabon and the caption reads, "This mask, known as elimba, has bold, angular forms, two square eyes, one for the mouth, and triangular forms for the nose and forehead." . O.K. not much info there. I like it because it reminds me of an old friend who used to wear his hair in a pompadour. So why copy a photograph of a mask from a book? Because it's my own ritual, my own dance of ink on paper going down into that trance state where words and rational thought are unwanted and the drums roll and roll. These drawings come out of the simplest, natural part of my soul, a place of purity and sincerity and power. I make this drawing because it is my essential nature. I make it because it just feels good. I make it because it makes me feel alive.