There are several projects I’ve completed over the last couple months that I’d like to showcase. So I’ve decided to write about one every day for the rest of the week until they’re all up.

Pistachio Thief was in the making for over a year. When I was living in Japan on JET, my good friend and fellow Kameokan (Kameokanite? Kameoka-liver? Kameoka… oh never mind – we lived in the same town!), the irrepressible Ms. Laurel Ryan with whom I had made Love Love, wrote a script for a short film and asked me to help make it happen. She wanted a mix of psuedo noir, “old timey,” silent film era slapstick-esque, and needless to say, over the top.

So a few weeks before I was set to leave Japan, we filmed it on a very warm July weekend in Kyoto in Umekoji Park. Despite our best efforts, I could never get a clear frame. I don’t know why we even bothered having extras*, because lots of folks were dead set on being in our movie, whether we wanted them to or not. A soccer team, several innocent passersby – my favorite being the granny with the umbrella who even bowed to us in a sort of apology/hello.

The shoot was very fun. Sometimes, I get nervous being “in charge,” but everything went smoothly and there was lots of laughter and frivolity, of course. Those Kameoka-peeps are a grand lot, it’s true!

Before departing for the States, I was able to do the first round of editing and we even had a mini-premiere night. I sent the movie off to Laurel’s brother, the talented Barron Ryan, who was to create the original musical score.

And then the long wait (on my end, at least), began. Pistachio Thief kept showing up on my to do list, but it wasn’t until mid-June this year that things got rolling again. I got the music, did the final round of edits, sent it back, got the final music, and BAM! It went online. So my tiny, aging Sony Handycam pulled off another project! And despite continuing to feel like a complete newbie with my friend Final Cut, I’m really pleased with the final project.

I’d really like to go back to Kyoto and film Pistachio Thief Part 2 with Laurel and who knows, maybe it will happen! Until then, I’m going to focus on my next video project, a new dance for camera I’m producing with Brendan Behan.

I’ll stop expounding now and give you what you want, via RBC, Inc. on Youtube:

* Actually, I think the whole reason for having extras is so your friends can get involved and it’s more fun!

Update: And now with behind the scenes photos from the shoot, courtesy of Dara Han!