August 27th, 2018.
Yesterday I managed an incredible three premieres in one day (as a civilian, not a paid pro!) - at Frightfest, with 'The Man Who Killed Hitler and then the Bigfoot' (!!), followed by 'White Chamber' and 'Await Further Instructions'. Today I had other morning obligations, but I figured why not come back, see if there were any DVDs or CD Soundtracks I'd missed... and see about maybe catching a premiere or two.
Spoiler : I photographed two. Here's how the first one went down (with apologies to anyone involved in the movie, because I lacked the resources sometimes to definitively identify who people were):
"I'm outside what appears to be a horror convention. I'm kind of scared, but I'm also hungry. I'll see you at the place that does the cool burgers." - come to think of it, I AM hungry.
It's Frightest HQ on the afternoon of the final day. Right now it looks like that part in Mad Max Fury Road when all the pursuing vehicles have paused to rest in the breeze, wondering if Charlize Theron and her big rig is gonna come back or not.
Woman (?) at right : "Of course, Kierkegaard died before horror movies really took off, but I think he would have had a lot to say about institutions like frightfest. Also... are they still handing out those free DVDs, do you know?". Not based on an overheard frightfest conversation, but I did walk into an Oxfam today and some 17yr old student was talking about Stalin to a bored elderly sales assistant, so I can affirm these kinds of conversations do happen.
It's the Cast and Crew of Blacksite! And... I gotta be honest, I don't know who any of these people are, because not only can I not find the event on getty or on wireimage, but most of them look different to their photos on imdb.com as well.
With my issues with identifying cast and crew already mentioned, I'll admit right here that if I'd been asked to bet Large Dollars on who I think the director is, I would have lost said Large Dollars. A hint? My misogyny is inexcusable, however well-placed, however poorly angled.
How is this NOT the director of this movie (or indeed ANY and EVERY movie??) Look at that vest! Look at that pose! Look at that intuitive and intimate skill at finding The Light. Turns out he's actually Kris Johnson, XII-th of his name on imdb. He is an actor in this movie.
"You wanna have another guess at who the director of this movie is?"- I just lost Big Dollars on the last bet, but sure. I'm guessing it's the seventeen year old guy on the far left whose face I've allowed to be obscured by the lighting pole, like the photographic hack fraud I am.
"Do I want to talk about how much I still don't like The Last Jedi? No, not while Kris Johnson, who is taller and tougher than me, is in focus in this photo while I am not." - I actually don't know who this is, but there are three cast members of this movie whose images are blank on imdb.com. Sure, one of them is "Sharon Elizabeth Greenwood" but I'm not ruling her out yet.
"He's not listening, and nor is he in focus? Good -- because I didn't like it, okay? Also, NO. I'm not the director of this film"
Edited to add : Mike Beckingham!
"I'm the director. Tom Paton. T-shirt and jacket. Stylish, comfortable, and besides which, I'm the director. I can wear what I want". Can't argue with that logic. As creative director of premieres.co I'm wearing a black hoodie right now as I'm typing this.
"So I was thinking of watching "Black Site"… but then again, I could wait a bit and see "The Golem" instead, because that looks somewhat interesting as well. Or I could wait for the Awards to... wait… I’ve just noticed you’re actually quite pretty. Should I have said that? Before.. or.... Now? Or at all?"
Oh, good. It’s another girl I’ve decided to compliment in a journal hours after I last saw her at an event, not knowing whether she’s single or married to the producer, or the heiress of a movie production empire, or heading back to LA tomorrow to cast location photographers, or whether I’ve once again mistaken mere friendliness of flirtation.
Damnit… frightfest really does have a way of getting to the core of ones insecurities.
"What am I doing? I’m just standing here in my blue dress, classing up the place. You got a problem with that?"
"Absolutely not, ma’am. Just wishing there were more of you."
I don't know who this, but the movie's credits have about six women, all young and pretty, none of whom immediately look like her. And she posed with the others. She's GOT to be in the film... no?
Edited to add : Phoebe Robinson-Galvin.
"Of course, I think it was Kierkegaard who I'd posit had the most to say about it." I don't know who this (well... I do NOW, but to maintain the authenticity of the original caption...) but I've googled Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and it's not the worst resemblance. Not as close as Me'n'Jason Statham of course. Twins separated at birth, we are.
Any editing or visual reinterpretation of Kris Johnson in this photo which makes him look like an awesome stop-motion superhero-ified cartoon version of himself is entirely coincidental, and I think kind of inadvertently awesome.
I wouldn't be willing to bet any spare money I've already (hypothetically) lost on betting who this movie's director is/was, based purely on looks. But if I were the gambling type, this might possibly be actress Samantha Schnitzler. I hesitate because a frightfest article dated July 19th said "Imitation Girl Lauren Ashley Carter and action heroine Angela Dixon accompany director Tom Paton for BLACK SITE" and she doesn't really look too much like either.
"So let me get this straight. You're interviewing me even though you don't know who I am?" No. That would be ridiculous. I'm PHOTOGRAPHING you even though I don't know who you are. Because I don't mind looking foolish right now, and scrambling out a revisionist history of this event and my skill and class in covering it later (reminder to self : Remember To Do That)
Quick distraction : how awesome is the left arm tattoo/sleeve of the interviewer? I'm not this edgy, though I do have a couple of obscure watch brands in my collection that might impress novices and dismay anyone who actually knows about watches.
This image has everything to turn it into quite a glamorous noir image. Except for the lady with the polka dot top in the background. She turns it into more of a … a… well, Frightfest occasion, quite frankly.
Edited to add : maybe Alana Wallace...?
"The director? Sure I can point him out to you... but it'll cost ya."
And you know what Imma quit while I'm already way behind! Apologies to anyone involved in this film who might view this journal in horror (the odds of this are minuscule, but the I didn't pick that of all the premieres I photographed this month, the premiere for The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then The Bigfoot would have OVER SIX TIMES more views than the secondmost views.
Which is to say.... Until next time! (a few minutes from now? Oh, good....)
On the plus side, competence does not affect the mathematics of me being able to add + 1 to the Archive of Movie Premieres, and suggesting that if you ever want to know when I most a typically at least slightly more accurate and professional (?) premiere journal, feel free to follow me on facebook at premieresdotco, or twitter at berndt2_photo.