"Imperfections"

It has been four years since 'Harmonious Thought', the album Asher recorded, was released. This was the last time I had really thought of embarking on the journey that is writing and recording an album worth of songs. I have written things here and there, scored for a feature film, etc. so music has always been apart of what I do but the thought of doing another album was, well, never really a thought at all.

When bad things happen for really no apparent rhyme or reason every person deals with it differently. The last few months have been really hard on me and I have learned a lot about myself. How I chose to deal with life was to try and put that energy somewhere positive. That included writing this album.

It is easily the proudest piece of musical work I have done to date. 'Harmonious Thought' is impressive and something I am very proud of as well but that was a team effort. A lot of the songs I just played on. With this album - the lyrics, the music, it was recorded and mixed all by me. The liner notes and cover art were also designed by me. I believed with what this album represents, it had to all be done by just me so that it was the most honest and real portrayal of what I had to say.

The lyrics came together pretty quickly, generally speaking. I had an idea of what each song was going to be about before I actually wrote the words. A few changes were made like adding the instrumental piece after I was noodling around and found something that I thought really worked well for the middle of the album. It replaced a song I had written a few years back and felt it wasn't good enough to be on the album. There was another song called "Oh, Happiness" which I wrote the lyrics and music for and actually recorded it but again, to me it fell short of the rest of the album. I had just re-watched "Gone With the Wind" and the idea for "Goodbye Scarlett" came so I sat down, wrote the lyrics and music in the same day.

Below is the track list for "Imperfections".

1. The Theme

2. The Fear

3. Skin/Neon

4. Goodbye Scarlett

5. Holes/Doors

6. Your Chord (instrumental)

7. Full Halves

8. The Ship

9. I Sing

10. The Dedication

From a musical standpoint, I am a much better guitarist/bassist then pianist so when it came to write the music, I of course gravitated to the guitar but everything ended up sounded stale. I felt I didn't want to do a full band and since an acoustic guitar with a dude singing over it has been beaten to death - I sat down at the piano. I hadn't played in about 5 years but for some reason, the words mixed well with what I was playing around with musically so I just wrote everything on the keys.

I have uploaded a few pictures here to show how I recorded everything. It was pretty simple - just a single SM 57 mic into pro tools for both the piano and vocals. I set up a click track for each song and recorded vocals and piano separate. I treated the piano in a way to give it a more full sound. I would edit the takes together and once I did that, I consolidated the waveform, duplicated it and put it on another track. I then slide it over a few samples and panned one waveform hard right and the other hard left. With a little reverb the piano has a much more rich and full sound and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. The vocals were pretty simple - just me singing into the SM 57 until I got it right. I didn't use auto-tune, just some tedious editing and some reverb.

Over-all, I am very happy with what I accomplished. It's a very personal album - one in which I did for myself to try and make sense of some of the things that were happening to me in the last little while. My hope hasn't changed since the Asher album and it's very simple - that if one song can help one person, then it's worth it. Of course, I have bigger aspirations but you never know how people are going to re-act to your work so having expectations is always a bad thing. I just hope people like it. I will put up the album free to download with the liner notes at the end of January.

MK

Insert Witty Title Here

So because of all the insanity lately, I haven't had a ton of time to write out a blog but I thought I would do a little one here before Abolition hits production September 1st.

I just got back from L.A. this past Sunday and I have to say, it was unforgettable. Meeting Reggie Bannister, Caroline Williams and Elissa Dowling was fantastic - they each were so, so, excited about the film! Our team has been busy, busy getting things prepped for our first day of shooting and it can't come soon enough. I feel so ready to shoot this film especially after I saw how dedicated the actors were to the characters myself, Chris and Chantelle created. The film is coming together nicely, locations are almost all locked, most of the cast is locked, shots have been decided and FX has begun to build rigs this week which I am so stoked about. Sarah and her team have been working very hard on the production design elements and so far everything I've seen looks amazing. This week I continue to meet with all the local actors here to give them some face time before set.

The next week or so I will also be prepping all the promotions side of the film as well with Jason Armstrong and our Behind The Scenes specialist, Cara Enns who I know from a round-about way as she's from the town I grew up in. So that pretty much wraps up prep on Abolition - now it's all about execution and then post - I'm feeling very confident in every area of this film and can't wait to see what we capture on film.

While in L.A. couple of notable things happened, aside from meeting the incredible actors in my film: Triple H sat across from me at a restaurant, met some awesome people at a party in "The Valley" including writer/director of the indie flick 'Mad World', Cory Cataldo. Trailer for his film here. Mia Michaels smiled at me in the airport and I chatted with Eli Roth about his new film and shooting my film, he then wished me good luck on it and I was trembling for about 10 minutes afterwords.

SO I guess that's about it - just working hard to get through the next 6 weeks. Look out for some awesome on set footage of Abolition coming soon!

MK

A Black Fawn Is Abolished & That Makes Me Bitter

If you are reading this then by now you know about my upcoming film 'Abolition' and if for some unknown reason you've missed every FB update in the past month then check out www.skgfilms.com.

I hope to give some detailed info here and also just thought it was time to do another blog!

Backing up a tad - funding for Abolition is secured. Reggie Bannister and Caroline Williams locked. Which I can't begin to explain how excited I am about having them in my film - I've watched those two on screen since I begun my journey into horror films and now to have two legends starring in a film that I conceived is taking a bit to get used to. New comer Elissa Dowling and old friend Andrew Roth cast as well which these two are just steller talents and what they bring to the roles is something I am so excited about - I want to try keep the concept of the film pretty vague here but it has to do with the end of the world!

Producer guru Chantelle Kadyschuk has been brought onto the project and the transition for myself to get into director mode has begun with her help. This film would not succeed without this young woman and to have her on board, behind the project is a huge blessing. Also, long time friend and collegue Nick Matthews has been brought on to shoot this film and of course I can't be more stoked. Our last film together in the respective roles of Director and DP was Stripped! and I can't wait to show how much we have learned since that project.

In the coming weeks we hope to fill out the cast, lock some locations and get in over our heads into pre-production. With shooting a mere 7 weeks away - well, it's time to get down to work!

And, of course, how I cannot mention Bitter? Jason Armstrong's next effort in the writer/director chair and he has out done himself on this one. A lot is going to happen in the 4 weeks on this project and I am so excited to see the film finally take flight - again if you've missed the thousands of updates on FB I don't even know why you are reading this??? But anyways, you can find more info on that project on the SKG site.


OK, well I guess that's about all the blabbing I'll do for now - next time I hope to update everyone with even more info about both projects - this is an exciting time for me and for Canadian film in general. There is a real surge of talented young film makers around TO and I am glad to be apart of it all - oh also, I will be at the Fantasia Film Festival in a few weeks, where if you do go, need to check out some of Black Fawn's efforts starring some people we know like Emily Alatalo (ronnie what!) and the always gorgeous, Jen Polanksy. Their site: www.blackfawnfilms.com. The two films are If A Tree Falls and Neverlost and both are very different genres but both look like they are really well done so I can't wait to see them!

Keep Screaming,

MK

Update On Some Crap That I'm Working On

*Warning to readers - this blog COULD be just as boring as Jason Armstrong's note on FB*

So Jay threw up a note on Facebook with some updates on his film Bitter the other day, so I figured I should probably do a little blog update on my side of things; for the couple of people that care.

Aside from trying to graduate with my 30,000 dollar piece of useless paper, yes there is a film coming down the pipe on my end of things as well. After the insanity that was 48 Hours in Purgatory, me and Jay figured "what the hey, let's do two films AT THE SAME TIME". So that's what we are doing. The talented Chris Lawson is penning the script called "Abolition", along with myself. Though while Chris is getting the script to a good place, I have been concentrating on the business side of things.

Myself and Jay have made some great contacts in the States which have already helped us immensely on both projects and we hope to continue those relationships into Pre-Production this summer. We plan to shoot the films one after the other in Fall of 2010 with simultaneous post-production schedules, finishing both films 1 month apart by end of March 2011. Not that insane right?

People have asked me "so what are you doing after graduation" and my reply is always "uhh...making movies". Which only makes sense to me; it's what I went to school for, why wouldn't it be what I do afterwords? So as myself, Jay and the other members of the team embark on the next part of the film journey, I will keep those 3 of you that read this up to date with all the latest news on casting, crew and all that jazz. 2010 should get epic; and not the mediocre kind of epic.

MK

O Canada, Glorious and Complacent.

To start this rant I want to say this - I have been frustrated for some time with Canada's system and I truly believe we are not the enlightened nation we think we are - in fact I think we are beneath the States in many respects. I also am not a politician or think I have some new idea that could change the world or something. I am just frustrated.

I will start by saying this: being a Liberal or Conservative should mean you believe different things and have different policies, etc. This, however, is really not the case in Canada from what I can tell - it's just either side bitching and complaining about who's in power and how now they can run it better so then they get voted in, fuck up the country for however many years until Canada is like "oh, yeah we have another side" and then the vote switches.

At least in the States there is a difference. I am sick of the "I hate America" people thinking they are enlightened or something. If you hate them so much, gather a bunch of your America hating friends and burn down the Whitehouse. We have done it before. Or if there is enough of you, change Canada's government into something better. Whatever it is, at least you will be doing something instead of doing what Canadians do best - bitch and whine and sit and talk and get nowhere. We say how great we are when really we are worse then the States because we don't even have a democratic government TO BE corrupted - when we vote, someone is put into power who doesn't even have a "majority" vote (what the fuck, if they win shouldn't they WIN?) and then they can call other elections randomly? Or suspend parliament?!??!

If the Obama election showed us anything it was the importance of the youth vote. Kids in Canada not only don't care about politics but don't understand it. I don't pretend to understand it fully either. And you can blame this on Twilight, video games and other bullshit like that - but it's not that the kids are stupid and are like the fat people in WALL-E. I ask, why should they care? When it's 2 old dudes who if you vote for them, don't do anything anyways, and usually are just saying how the other side is shitty at what they are doing, I don't even care and I WANT to care. I think a lot of kids WANT to care but there's nothing there to care about. Obama gave the American kids hope and they came out in record numbers to vote. Canada could be so much greater then it is but we are like an indecisive, crippled, spoiled rich kid, who thinks we are so much better then other countries because we have gay marriage and lots of immigrants. Both aren't bad things but by no means give us the right to be a "holier then thou" country.

In conclusion, I am not advocating the States as the greatest country in world or whatever. All I am saying here is that, before we make fun of Bush for mixing around his words, we should look at our country and realize that it has it's own, much BIGGER problems. We can point and make fun of the States all we want but bottom line is, when they vote someone gets into power for 4 straight years, make's decisions and leads the country. In Canada we don't even have that.

MK

48 Hours In Purgatory - A Reflection

It is 2:07am on Christmas Eve, 2009 and I haven't seen a bed since Friday the 18th. I have been locked away in 2 rooms with no windows putting the final touches on the epic adventure that has been the film 48 Hours In Purgatory. As I sit here watching the progress bar slowly move closer and closer to 100%, "this is war" by 30 seconds to mars plays in the background, it's hard to picture a better way of ending this chapter.

I don't think up to this point I know a movie better then I know 48. I know most of the lines by heart, I know every single mistake, problem area and things that we wanted but couldn't. What is lost now is the objectivity that the film is actually good. I feel that it's good - even watching the first 20 minutes of the final film it felt, looked and sounded like a real film.

It has been an insane project right from doing pre-production during the final weeks of 2nd year (april 2009) to the epic battle with final cut over the last 24 hours. Film making is not easy, in fact it's actually near impossible. No normal human being would ever put his or herself through this process. I tried to explain to someone earlier tonight what and why I was doing what I was doing and I came across as sounding like a mentally deranged human being. It was funny but also kind of mind blowing - to me it's just what has to be done at this point in time - spend 5 days with 4 dudes in a room with no windows watching the same footage over and over again because the buzz of the warehouse ambience track seemed a little loud and needed to be turned down or a little logo in a shot that is seen over credits for about 5 seconds needs to be moved a little farther to left.

The sad but awesome thing is that gimme a week to recover - and I would just do it again.

What is even more insane is that me and Jay had a conversation about the next film already. Maybe gimme 2 weeks to recover.

During the course of finishing a film on this scale at this point in my life - you really get to know people, really, really, well. Who you can trust, who you can't. Watching Jeremy put the final touches on the mix down in the Hb04 studio was epic to see. A screen shot of the pro tools session should go up in the studio as a reminder to all film students that it can be done, here and now. Then there was Nick - all alone color correcting. He invented a way of modifying 3 computer chairs to a pretty comfy bed. But seriously the look of the film is amazing and his vast knowledge of all things technical was a serious must, not only in this final stage of post-production but also even during production. One of my favorite things was turning to Jay and saying -" you don't know this person, but they watched your movie frame by frame to edit clothing movement". This film is filled with people like that - dedicated to their craft and uber talented.

If all things go well, we will be "shooting lights and being able too" summer 2010 and the process will start all over. Hopefully with a little more money, more experience under our belt and the knowledge that seriously, anything is possible if you realize that giving up is just not an option. A great 20th century philosopher once said " Do or do not, there is no try".

MK

Texas Blog Part 4 - Home.

To those waiting breath bated, for this final blog about Texas - well the wait is over. Did that come across sarcastic? Good. Anyways - I left off Day 7 when we were in the desert. That day we left to Midland and shot some exteriors there and then drove back towards our camp which we stopped to get some epic shots of an oil derek and a moving train - which turned out to be the Ian's favorite shots. We came back to camp exhausted and Sarah and Carlton took a nap. Myself and Brennen after dumping the footage went atop a large sand dune and did some dune jumping which was awesome.

Carlton joined us and we picked the spot where we were going to shoot the sunset. We walked back to our camp site which didn't really seem that far - then we gathered the jib arm, 2 tripods, 2 cameras, a sand bag and 40 pounds of weights. The three of us treked across desert and the hot sand to capture the trips most epic footage - jib shots in the desert at sunrise. The walk then seemed A LOT further.

That night Carlton got the truck stuck - the park ranger the next morning wasn't happy but he pulled us out. Carlton claims that he only got the truck stuck a little bit and me and Brennen did the rest while trying to get it out. After getting our truck out - we packed up everything and left the camp site which had been our home for two days. On Wednesday at 2:45pm, after shooting some more exteriors in Midland, we decided to head home.

Between myself and the two Ian's we each did shifts of 5-6 hours of driving. We drove through the night and after lots of energy drinks, sunflower seeds and coffee we finally arrived back in Canada late Thursday night/Early Friday morning.

The trip as a whole was a fantastic experience and after looking at some of the footage I can't wait to see things come together in the coming months. I shall leave with these words from a song that we listened to over and over on the trip:

"Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my Ma and Pa
Not in the way I love you.
Holy moley me oh my you're the apple of my eye
Girl I never loved one like you.
Home, Let me go home. Home is wherever I'm with you."

MK