Cast set for first-time producer

"I've cast my movie."

It's an incredible statement to make. Six months ago, I wouldn't have dreamed those words. I hate to break that to the actors I've just cast in my short action comedy "Dance Step of Death," but facts be facts, this is the first movie I've produced.
I've never been the writer of a movie -- long or short -- going into production but who is tracking firsts.

"I worked on my movie last night. What did you do?"

I'm still geeking out over being able to legitimately write those words.

It's an incredible place to be in, but I'm lying if I don't admit its a grind. The movie -- consumes the majority of the free thoughts left after a day at the gig.

But I love it.


It's been a long time since I've been consumed. I was consumed in high school by student government. I did my class work, but campus government affairs consumed my free brain waves. How do we make more money from the high school dance? How do I get the votes needed to overrule the Senior class? What sort of skit can I do at the pep rally?
Running the student paper consumed me in college.
Not to brag but my super-talented managing editor and I uprooted out newsroom to run a  special edition from New Orleans for the Bayou Classic.
I've been a reporter for a major daily newspaper for a decade and I'm sad to report I've never been consumed for a story like I am for this movie. There have been plenty of stories where I don't mind not putting in overtime in for, but there have been no "the Pulizer is close I'll work all night" nights like at the all nighters we pulled at the Digest (my college paper).
I'm grinding harder than is sustainable full time, but it feels good, like I found a few extra cylinders I used to waste watching the Mentalist. (I don't even watch that show all the time, why did I write that.)
We are basically one month away from rolling video on the movie. This is crazy. That song "Call me maybe" just ran through my head and I just threw up a little bit. Breath. It is crazy. But my director AK Long and I are attacking each day, while trying to manage personal lives. (He is. I don't have one.)
Oh I'm going away to Arkansas for a family reunion right in the middle of this. I hope it's  one of those, I said I'm going, so I'm going, but you get there and everything it right kind of experiences. I'm supposed to shoot and edit a video for that.
Did I mention that fact that I'm an event promoter too? With the help of Executive Producer Angela Gentry, as a movie fundraiser we're promoting a "Superheroes vs. Zombies Party June 30 at Marilyn's on K.
The biggest hang up right now the lack of clarity in the budget. We're have our indiegogo campaign going. It has 23 days left to reach our goal of $2,156.
While I'm speaking out loud I might as well mention the things we're looking for: a sound guy/equipment, dancers, costume designers, makeup artists, visual effects people.
Other than that everything is peachy. Did I mention I cast my first movie?