Monday, July 8, 2019

Interview with Harmony Komiskey

Each month we’ll interview a member of the Sine Fine Films Company, asking the same or similar questions, and learn more about the actors and crew.


This month I’m interviewing the wonderful and dedicated Harmony Komiskey who officially joined the company in the summer of 2012.



Q: How did you get involved in SFF? (And what possessed you to keep coming back for more torture?)
A: My mom introduced me and i like films.



Q: What was your favorite part to play?

A: The fairy


Q: What was your favorite filming day?

A: When we did me as a child with a messy bedroom.


Q: What was your least favorite filming day?

A: When we were camped out outside for the fairy scene



Q: What’s your dream role?

A: A princess




Q: What’s your favorite production to watch?

A: The fairy tale

Q: What’s your favorite costume, accessory, or prop?

A: My fairy costume



Q: Who’s your favorite actor co-star/actor you’ve worked with?  Who would you like to work with in the future or work with more?

A: Christine Busker


Q: Sum up each production you’ve been in using only one word or short sentence. 

A: 
THE GIFT BEARER - TIME AFTER TIME: 
Fun.

FORTUNATE ONES - FAERIE TALE:
Magical.



Q: Top 5 favorites: (not SFF related)

A: 
Favorite Color: Purple

Favorite Movie or TV Show: Frozen

Favorite Song or Band/Artist:
The band Perry

Favorite Food or Drink: Manicotti


Favorite Holiday: 
Christmas



Monday, June 24, 2019

Survivor's Club: Don’t Bug Out

There are a lot of days when we film in bad weather - days so hot your eyeballs feel like they're frying, days so cold your hands might fall off, and rain pouring so hard you could almost drown on set. Each month we'll remember one of those horrible weather days and celebrate the survivors who braved the elements in order to film.  Why would we want to remember those days?  Because going through hell on set has a way of bringing everyone closer together when they can say they survived mother nature AND filming on a Yibble set.

Don’t Bug Out
Filming with Annoying Insects

When you film outdoors in the summer you bound to have some problems with bugs. When you film in Central Illinois near any source of water, you’re pretty much screwed.  

Allerton Park is a beautiful, magical place with amazing gardens, statues, and lovely flowers.  There’s also a river that runs through the park and a lovely little pond hidden in the woods but also somehow located near a parking lot.  I mention all this because the number of mosquitoes at Allerton is INSANE.

During Pandora’s Box we filmed at Allerton quite a bit, but the worst day was when we filmed scenes for the final episode.  The day was hot and humid and no matter where we were the mosquitoes were there, ready and waiting in a buzzing army of annoying little suckers. It was awful – and I wasn’t even in costume.  I can only imagination how hard it was for the actors.

The worst part was when we were filming the final scene for the day.  We filmed in a small, isolated parking lot that I did not realize was very close to the “hidden” pond in the woods.  The mosquitoes were so thick you could see them flying past the camera and landing on the actors. As soon as the line was finished the actors were swatting away the bugs so fast they almost looked like new dance moves. We called that location Mosquito Island and I made sure to NEVER film there again in the summer.

We filmed at Allerton again for Pandora’s Box a year later, in a place called the Buddha Pavilion and Fu Dog garden and had the same problem with mosquitoes we had before. They weren’t as bad as Mosquito Island, but what they lacked in number they made up for in viciousness.  By the end of the day everyone had multiple bites and Margaret had a particularly bad bite on her cheek. Ouch!

Allerton isn’t the only location where we had a mosquito problem though. We were filming scenes from Episodes 2 and 3 of Pandora’s Box at Lake of the Woods and there was a very picturesque river in the middle of a densely wooded area. Unfortunately the mosquitoes were crazy there and after filming that one scene we moved to a different and less buggy area to film the rest.

We went to Busey Woods for the first day of filming for Pandora’s Box and I guess I wanted to smell nice because I stupidly put on fruit scented body spray.  Yeah, not smart. I came home covered in mosquito bites and cursing my own stupidity.  We filmed there again the next summer. It had been raining a lot (and actually rained very heavily while we were filming later that afternoon) so the bugs were in full force and the mosquitoes were hungry. Margaret and Annamarie had to fend off the little monsters between shots and even the bug spray we brought wasn’t enough to keep them at bay.

Poor Edward had to do a death scene and lying on the ground in the middle of the hot, humid, and bug infested woods with his face covered in fake blood.  The fake blood I used was a mixture of chocolate syrup and red kool-aid so all the bugs saw was a big buffet.  Ed had trouble staying still and pretending to be dead with his eyes open because the bugs – especially the mosquitoes – were trying to devour him alive.  As soon as the scene was done Ed got the heck out of the woods.  He was probably glad that it rained soon after that!

 I probably shouldn’t have filmed there again but given how much rain there was any wooded area would probably have been just as bad. Although it was near Crystal Lake, now that I think about it, so yeah, filming near lakes and ponds in the middle of a Central Illinois summer is just a terrible idea.  

Mosquitoes may be the most annoying pests at any location, but they’re not the only bugs that cause problems.  During the filming of the King of Elfin’s Daughter there was a huge problem with cicadas.  Apparently there are two main cycles with periodical cicadas – 17 year and 13 years.  Every now and then the two sets of cicadas appear in the same summer and that summer was 1998, so there were a LOT of cicadas! The cicadas were SO LOUD it was unbelievable. You could hardly hear what the actors were saying in one scene were they were surrounded by bushes and trees full of them.  

The sound was more annoying then their physical presence, but they did start dropping from trees while we were filming at one point. Annamarie and the others even made one of them a mascot and named him Froedrick. He traveled with them while we filmed, but met a tragic end when it began to rain and he fell into a puddle and drowned. RIP Froedrick.

Then there's the problem of flies on the set. Most of the time they are just a little annoying, get swatted and eventually take the hint and go away. But during the filming of Twisted Tales’s Magic, Inc. they not only hung around the set, they tried to make a home in one of the costumes. Annamarie was wearing a dress with a taffeta underskirt and a chiffon overskirt.  Whenever she walked across the grass a bunch of flies would travel up the dress and get caught between the two skirts.  We had to continually lift up the overskirt and evict the flies whenever she stood up.  It was annoying but also pretty hilarious. 

There were a lot of bugs on set when we were filming at the Spillway for Episode 5 and 6 of The Gift Bearer. If you’re outside there are bugs and that’s fine – it’s just something you have to deal with and work around. But some actors seem to attract them more than others. For some reason all the bugs wanted to hang out by or on Morgan Thomas that day and she had to deal with several fanbugs throughout the shoot including bees, caterpillars, and spiders. Annamarie and Brittany Ann Whalen had to deal with them to, but they were especially fond of Morgan that day. 

The worst non-mosquito bug problem happened while filming flashback scenes for the movie The Gift Bearer: Time After Time.  It actually ended up being a dangerous situation.  Morgan and Brittany had to run out from a shed, slam the door, and lean against while someone (Drew Thomas) pounded on the door from the inside. They all had to stand inside (in the dark) while I set the shot and during that waiting time they discovered a nasty surprise in the shed – a wasp’s nest.  Poor Drew had to stay inside, in the dark, and pound on the door hoping the wasps (who were startled by all the noise of course) didn’t sting the hell out of him.  Oh, and it was also the HOTTEST day of filming ever for a SFF production, being over a 100 degrees the whole day.

To all those who have suffered with cicadas, were munched by mosquitoes, scared by spiders, and worried about wasps, I thank you and salute you.  There are too many to list since so many people filmed during the hot, humid summers for many productions, but each and every one of you is a real trooper!  

Here’s some bug spray and Afterbite, now get some rest in a cool and bug-free air-conditioned building!

Oh, and here’s some bloopers with bugs:


Monday, June 17, 2019

Interview with Chris Hutchens

Each month we’ll interview a member of the Sine Fine Films Company, asking the same or similar questions, and learn more about the actors and crew.

This month I’m interviewing the wonderful and dedicated Chris Hutchens who officially joined the company in the summer of 1996.



Q: How did you get involved in SFF? (And what possessed you to keep coming back for more torture?)



A: I was something like 7th call Ketlan. As with any improbable and high-impact event, it seems like it Happened For A Reason. All of a sudden I was reconnecting with old friends I hadn't seen in years and making new ones. And maybe more importantly, I was getting back in touch with an artistic streak that was sitting idle. It set me up for a more confident and *way* more fulfilling final two years of high school. In summary: Karma, Friends, ART.

Q: What was your favorite part to play?

A: Chevron was a great change of pace but I had trouble getting authentically angry. With De Carlo, we did the short series first, establishing the beginning and end of the arc. Filling out the middle part later with additional episodes was an interesting challenge. Ultimately though, playing Ketlan was one of the most fun things I did as a teenager, so I have to go with him.

Q: What was your favorite filming day?

A: D3 Allerton. We covered a lot of territory. Wasn't that when we had the zany hedge maze chase? We may have literally put blood, sweat, and tears into it! I remember I was having kind of a mopey morning, and I was doing a dance scene with Annamarie, and there wasn't much of a spring in my step... it felt like I was falling a little flat. 

She whispered in my ear, "Chris! Act!" This might sound silly, but I'm being 100% sincere here: that's the best advice anyone ever gave me. Nothing's going to happen without action. Want to turn things around *right now*? DO IT. At least take that first step. As I recall, Eleanore caught the moment on film, and you can see the transformation when I remembered how to turn the smile back on.


Q: What was your least favorite filming day?

A: The sad rainy day for King of Elflin's Daughter. You covered this one pretty well with a blog post. The company of 10,000 chirping Froedricks couldn't keep the blues away.


Q: What’s your dream role?

A: I'm living it. I lucked into a great job, found a wonderful wife whom I love dearly, and somewhat recently became father to a healthy and happy kid.


Q: What’s your favorite production to watch?

A: Mind Games. It had a darker tone, a smaller scope, but more intense story. More focus, I guess. Plus we had that totally sweet viewing party at the Planetarium. All in all, it was probably my favorite to film, too. It's hard for me to disentangle what I see on screen from my memories of the process behind the scenes. This one felt "next level" for us and may have been my best / most serious effort.


Q: What’s your favorite costume, accessory, or prop?

A: Ugh, this is so cliche, but there's a reason the Balthazar costume showed up everywhere. When I finally got to try it out (during the Year of Theatrical Birthdays), I was surprised how it changed the way I carried myself. 


I also liked Ali Jinjil's costume. And his sword was actually made of metal!



Q: Who’s your favorite actor co-star/actor you’ve worked with?  Who would you like to work with in the future or work with more?

A: All the MacLeods were inspiring on and off screen. Tanino made everything fun. Empress Zarina couldn't have been more different from Nina, and that's awesome. Several years ago I found myself on the train from Champaign to Chicago with Jill, and catching up with her brought me joy. Dang, I miss all y'all. As far as "working" though, these days I'd probably rather kick back and talk about art and the creative process than get in front of a camera.


Q: Sum up each production you’ve been in using only one word or short sentence. 

A: 
DESTINY: 
The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance (... and Ross teaches with a fake accent and is stuck with it all semester)

DESTINY II: 
You were right -- a mother's love (and not romantic love!) is the most powerful force in the universe. I didn't really believe you until I saw it firsthand as a father.


DESTINY III:  What fun!

DRAGON & UNICORN: 
Still a better love story than Twilight.


KING OF ELFLIN’S DAUGHTER:  
Guitar is fun! Why didn't I start seriously trying to learn it then?



THE PERFECT COMBINATION: 
Nose Glasses

MIND GAMES: 
Captain gets the Cool Chair

DESTINY - MINI-SERIES: Excellent re-edit


TROJAN WOMEN: 
Probably my biggest pure acting challenge, and I'm not sure I was up to it.



PANDORA’S BOX:

Script Reading: Constant Comment, scones, happy place.

THE LONG TAKE: Hahah, I had forgotten!



Q: Top 5 favorites: (not SFF related)

A: 
Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Movie or TV Show: 
Hard to say, but right now I can't wait to watch The Dark Crystal with my son.


Favorite Song or Band/Artist:
Joni Mitchell

Favorite Food or Drink: 
Holiday Spiced anything

Favorite Holiday: 
Winter Solstice, because the days start getting longer. Also, Halloween is a big deal in my current neighborhood.


Monday, June 10, 2019

In Memoriam - Christopher Stasheff

One year ago Sine Fine Films lost one it’s most dedicated and supportive members when Christopher Stasheff passed away.  


I would have written this a year ago but it was too difficult because Chris wasn’t just a member of SFF, he was my father and in his way he helped create this little production company. 

In the summer of 1996 I decided to make a movie.  It’s a long story about how it all happened, but the point is that it did. Chris taught television and radio broadcasting for over 20 years, yet he never tried to tell me how to do it he just waited for me to ask for help.  After the first day of filming he typed up a tape log so I could write down the takes and be all professional (I didn’t really care at the time so I only did one sheet). He didn’t give me any other hints or tips or anything, but quietly supported me whenever I needed his help.

Most of all he showed me how to edit with two VCRs, taught me how to mix in music with a small audio system we had, and helped me fix equipment when it broke. He also finally supported the first film as needed (which wasn’t much).  After I began filming the second movie (Destiny II), he knew I was hooked on making movies and wanted to help me become a better cinematographer.  He almost always watched the rushes with me (the footage from that day).  

While watching footage from one scene in particular he made an annoyed sound and said “keep moving, more to the left, a little more”.  I didn’t understand, I just said “I can’t do anything about it now.”  He explained how moving the camera more to the left would frame a better shot and I suddenly saw what he meant.  “I know you can’t change it now”, he said “but remember it for the future.” 

The next day he gave me a tutorial on how to compose different shots and I saw him as his students saw him for the first time that I could remember.  As an artist it changed my world.  I love composing cool shots (although I don’t do it as often now), and I even take better photographs of every day events because of his teaching. 

That Christmas he helped me purchase my first video camera – Horatio – telling me what to look for in a camera, helping me find the right one, and paying for half of it. Horatio is now 22 years old and I long ago stopped using him to film my movies, but he actually still works. Chris helped me choose one hell of a camera!

When we began filming in 1996 almost all of the actors were under 18 (including myself) and he appointed himself the on set guardian.  He would come to all the film shoots where another adult would not be present and sit in the background reading a book (or writing one on his laptop).  He was on hand in case anything went wrong and since we were filming in places like a church hall and a movie theater, the people in charge liked having an adult there (understandably).  

He continued in that roll until I was old enough to be the on set guardian for everyone.  I didn’t really understand or truly appreciate the importance of that role until much later, but he did and took it on without a word of complaint.  Chris supported my filming in every way and was always looking out for me and the other actors. He drove us all when we needed a driver and car. 

He also worked crew or took on a part whenever I needed someone.  Whether it was holding an umbrella over the camera while we filmed in the rain for King of Elflin’s Daughter, teaching me about B-roll and Pick up shots for Perfect Combination, or playing a priest in Destiny, and an extra in Pandora’s Box when I needed people for the background of a tavern scene, Chris was always willing to jump on set and help out.

During the filming of Mind Games he always assisted in teaching the director (my brother Edward) about filming as well and was ready to be a crew member when we needed someone to help operate fans, light flash paper, handle props, and other things. 

 Chris was such a talented actor that I wanted to see him do more in SFF productions, so I wrote a role for him in Pandora’s Box.  He was happy to oblige, since he loved to act.  Knowing how great an actor he was and how much of a ham he could be on stage, I had fun writing the part, picturing him playing the character the whole time. 

In episode 15, a ghost appears and is haunting the rebel base.  Since the base is actually a theater, I made it the ghost of a director from long ago.  Being an actor and director himself, Chris was perfect in the role. In one of the many books he wrote there is an old thespian named Horace, so I named the ghost in Pandora’s Box Horace Gandergelder as an homage to his Company of Stars series.  I even put in a reference to them in one scene. You can tell he had a lot of fun playing the character and gave the performance his all. 

I had never worked with someone who had all his lines memorized and never once got them wrong, or flub, or had any bloopers at all.  We filmed all his lines and parts in a quarter of the time it would take to film anyone else.  He was such a professional (and totally made the others look bad). 

Chris was also a professional author who had written over published over 40 novels and short stories, edited multiple anthologies, written plays and even had a PhD in Theater.  I was always very proud of my father and I even asked if I could use one of the characters he created in his books.
My father created a priest character who was canonized when he martyred himself for the sake of keeping an international television broadcast of the Pope from going off the air.  

Saint Vidicon was the patron saint of television and technology and fought against the perversion of Murphy (as in Murphy's Law).  He became so popular that he even got his own book called St. Vidicon to the Rescue (my dad even let me co-wrote a chapter for it!)  
When I was writing Episodes 8-10 of Pandora's Box I decided to throw in a tech monk named Brother Robert who was from the Order of Saint Vidicon. Chris actually really enjoyed the character and loved his costume. 


During my college years I moved to Southern IL and he moved to New Mexico to teach television at ENMU, so he wasn’t able to be an actor or crew on any of the productions during those years, but he still supported me however he could and eagerly watched each production when it was finished.


His final role as an actor for SFF was in Episode 10 of Eidolon when he played the overworked Urshanabi, the ferryman of the dead in Mesopotamian mythology.  In Eidolon he’s in charge of boat rentals for crossing to and from the Spirit World. He didn’t really have a costume so he just stuck some weeds behind his ears and for some reason decided to use a Jersey accent.  He added a lot of lines that were not in the script and was so hysterical he won an award for Best Actor in a Bit Part. 

Even later on when he wasn’t doing well physically he still came to all the SFF Holiday and Anniversary Parties he could attend, and was still eager to watch (and sometimes re-watch) any of the productions made over the years. There are over a hundred members of Sine Fine Films, but few have done both acting and crew and few have done more than Chris did for this company.  

More than just a member of the cast and crew, he was one of the most loyal fans of the movies, shorts, and shows.  Sine Fine Films would not have existed without him. 
So, we at SFF say a huge thank you and a fond, but sad farewell to this wonderful, amazing man.  



Thank you Christopher Stasheff, for all you did. Your memory will live on and your legacy of television (and teaching) will continue.