The Great White West - Updated at Bottom

Semi-Foolishly, Colin McDermott and I entered the Utah Film Commission's Spot-On Commercial Contest. Being full time students with jobs and a lot of extracurricular activities doesn't constitute a recipe for success but we think we have a good chance of the prize.

Due to our idea we had to venture out beyond Tooele county to the Salt Flats, the single most requested filming location in the state of Utah. We began driving around 1:30PM and continued until we found a spot that worked. None of us really had an idea of where we were going and we were all hopeful it would all work out somehow.

Luckily it did and we got our shots and a bonus trip to Wendover. (we couldn't turn around on the interstate unless we exited, and Wendover was the closest exit to our remote location)

Here are some pictures from the shoot, courtesy of Sarah Young.

Setting up the camera.

Me, Framing the first shot.

Just before the first take.

Did I mention it was super cold? There are no geographical features for miles around and therefore nothing to block the swift desert wind. I'm just glad we only did 5 takes because we lost the sun as soon as we left which would have made it much worse.

The commercial is now finished. Check it out below. I feel it's very avant garde, as if we made something out of nothing, which we did.

Film Commission Commercial from Connor Rickman on Vimeo.

Don Giovanni: Wrapped! (mostly)

For the month of November, every weekend I have been involved somehow with the Dada Factory's latest film, "The Tale of Don Giovanni: That Indomitable Hipster."

Rightfully so, as I am the film's producer and one of the actors as well. The most credit should be given to Davey Davis, the writer and director for this film who managed to organize some amazing things to make it all possible. After 3 parties, several sponsorship deals, partnerships with Anarchist organizations and a wicked Alleycat bike race we have finished shooting the film... almost.

So there are one or two more shots to get before we're completely done, then comes the editing and promoting and attempts at distribution but we'll cross those bridges when we come to them.

Here's a video preview of the first shoot we did. That beautiful rack focus was done by me with a Rebel T1i.

The Tale of Don Giovanni: That Indomitable Hipster Teaser- Painting the Ghostbike from Dada Factory on Vimeo.

Here are a few pictures I managed to snag with my iPhone while shooting.

From Don Giovanni Bobsled Trail and Party

Director Davey Davis and Script Supervisor Simon Williams

From Don Giovanni Bobsled Trail and Party

2nd Camera Operator / Production Sound Man Colin McDermott

From Don Giovanni Bobsled Trail and Party

Script Supervisor Simon Williams

From Don Giovanni Bobsled Trail and Party

I found this guy named Jim Heiner who's good at everything film related. I'm glad I have him on my team now, he assembled that jib you see in front of him.

From Don Giovanni Bobsled Trail and Party

My father, filling in for the absent boom operator.

Eventually this film will be edited and completed but for now I must focus my efforts on finishing up my latest project, "Dork to Dork" with director Rebecca Mabey. Soon after I will be appearing in yet another short directed by my longtime friend and co-writer Colin McDermott. After both of these comes 48 Hour Film Project's International Shootout, maybe I'll be done for a while after that...yeah right!

Beneath the Waves of: The Little Mermaid

Check it out guys. Penny Caywood and Nicholas Dunn from Youth Theatre at the U wanted me to make a behind the scenes video for their show. Now it's done and available to you, the viewer. Or you, the stalker...

Beneath the Waves of The Little Mermaid from Connor Rickman on Vimeo.

What you see in the film is great, but what you don't see is even more spectacular. The production team managed to get the show together with a measly 3 days of technical rehearsal and a script that never stopped changing.

Penny told me that there were musical number and entire dance sequences that had been choreographed and rehearsed that had to be cut no more than a week before the show!

Thank the cast for being so adaptable and doing a great job despite the constant changes.

The only thing left to fix now is the fact that I didn't get my name in the program.

If you want more information about shows, classes and events from Youth Theatre at the U, you can visit their website at youththeatre.utah.edu. If you think you're too old for this sort of a thing, keep in mind the age range for "The Little Mermaid" was 7 years old to 45 years old. Chances are they can put you somewhere.

Believing: Staged Reading

On Thursday last, I had the honor of participating in a staged reading of Matthew Ivan Bennett's new play "Believing." The play is made up of three separate playlets, all with characters struggling with their beliefs. I played Tom, the mostly silent boyfriend to the "highly influenced" Becca. It was a great feat of acting, I had to say nothing in my mouth but everything on my face the entire length of my playlet.

Thanks to Mark Fossen the director and the rest of the cast, Sarah, Jessie, Kylie, Chris, JJ, Rhiannon and Nevin. I hadn't been on stage since March and it was a wonderful experience thanks to all of you. Special thanks to Colleen Lewis for giving us kids the opportunity in the first place.

Here are some pics, not much but they'll give you some idea of tech rehearsal.

From Believing and Dork to Dork

Sarah, Jessie and Kylie studying scripts and awaiting their part of tech.

From Believing and Dork to Dork

The Leona Wagner Blackbox, our venue.

From Believing and Dork to Dork

The Common Darkness of Tech Rehearsal.

Post The First!

Welcome.

I'm only really posing this because I want to have something on there when I tell everyone that I'm documenting my experiences. Can't tell people how great you are and have nothing around. This way they'll know I at least spent a couple minutes on it.