Austin Bunn

So apparently

austin — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:25:10 +0000

I am now directing the film.

This would be wrong.

But I do find it amusing.

Six weeks out

austin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:37:01 +0000

So this is what film production is like: back in NYC for the weekend to do a final revise on the screenplay with John, the director, before production in Mid-March. It’s like being in the air traffic control tower on Thanksgiving during a white-0ut. John is working the charm offensive in what appears to be a dozen directions: casting, locking production talent, location scouting, soundtrack… Cable internet drips. Time Warner is called, called, and called again. Fridge has Fresca and left-overs and emergency hummus. Suddenly, we need to restore a scene from, like, twelve drafts ago. Where, pray tell, do the twelve-ago drafts live?

At least it’s pouring rain out. Nobody’s going anywhere.

All Hail P-S

austin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:21:29 +0000

I’ve wanted to work on a Site:Lab — this tremendous public art rave (I know, weird, but it’s the best I could do) curated by this fellow Paul Amenta that happens here in Grand Rapids about three times a year – ever since I went to the spectacular “Land of Riches” one at the Old Public Museum.

The one thing about Grand Rapids: it’s never crowded. You never feel like you’re in a crowded space. EXCEPT at Site:Labs, where Paul oversees dozens of individual artists, classes, collectives etc. who put together site-specific work. “Land of Riches” was so elegant and composed — rooms upon rooms of smart, sensitive re-imaginings of what a museum does. You had to to be there, and that was the OTHER cool thing about it: you, having to be there. It was a one-night Brigadoon of art and socializing.

The next one is April 13, downtown. And I think we’ve got something that many folks will want to plug into. I have been sworn to secrecy because I’ve always wanted to swear to it. BUT here are some pics of the space: 111 Division.

Second floor ballroom

111 Division

The Third Floor

On WGVU

austin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:14:54 +0000

it is raining chunks of the 1970s. Another RUST interview. I am trying to sound enthusiastic, not hyper. There is a fine line!

@ the studios of WGVU

Trove

austin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:08:04 +0000

On the way to pick up my Fancy Pants from the dry-cleaners,I passed the window of the used bookstore in Eastown (well, one of two right next to each other, weirdly), and the Issacson Steve Jobs biography in the window caught my eye. Somebody gave that badboy up?

It was $35, mine for only…marginally less than that.

I also picked up Kevin Boyle’s Arc of Justice, which I’ve been meaning to read. I feel like there’s a story in white flight in Michigan — it’s what eroded the schools which eroded the cities which eroded the tax base which led to everything else. For a long time, I’ve wanted to tell the biography of a house, in Detroit, and the series of concessions and sacrifices that might lead a family (or families) to abandon something that size. I live on a block with four empty homes, here in Eastown — two boarded up.

Maybe we should do the piece IN THE HOUSE? David Hancock style?

“In a way, I interviewed ghosts.”

austin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:21:36 +0000

Listening to the Catalyst Radio/WYCE/The Rapidian interview I did last week about RUST. I’m always surprised by the sound of my own voice — surprised might be the nice way to put it. I think they even edited out the space between the words. To cram it all in? Either way, I sound very much INTO IT. I don’t know that I will ever master nonplussed. But Linda, the host, did a great job incorporating the original songs and even the documentary sound from “From Dawn Until Sunset”, the 1937 GM corporate film we use in the show…

austin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:32:23 +0000

just back from Louisville, having seen “Basement Story” in The 10s — the show of the finalists for the Heideman Award at Actors Theatre.

Oh but first there was the Swerving Off The Side of the Road, at mile 10 on I69, the night before. Black ice, scourge of the highway. I was just innocently tipping shrapnel from the peanut bar wrapper into my mouth when the car started to fishtail. A very long second ensued as I swerved and ended up in a ditch on the side of the road for an hour.

And I wondered: Is it okay to check Facebook while stranded, roadside, in the dark during a blizzard?

(yes)

And at what point do you call your mother and tell her?

(haven’t yet)

The following night, having had my fill at Proof and seeing my old friend Kiki and her fiancé for a drink, I swung over to the theatre. Now, the show started at 10:30 pm, isn’t quite at the 11pm Sleep No More level, but still. That’s late. However, my furnace was nicely warmed by the second Old Fashioned that accompanied me to my seat. Along with my friends Brian and Brian.

The show was really strong, with a couple of definite contenders in the mix. “Hero Dad” by Laura Jacqmin was this prismatic look at parental responsibility, an interesting triptych really, and maybe the smartest. “Advanced” by M. Thomas Cooper, about cavemen arguing in Lincoln/Douglas style, got huge laughs and was really winning. I have to remember the benefits of absurd costuming while writing.

The totally charming, perhaps-shall-I-say-it?-Beiber-banged Sean Mellot did great in “Basement” — I loved this magician-table-cloth swipe he did with the sheet over the bureau. He told me he was nervous having me in the audience, but it didn’t show. I was super happy: this is as realized as this show will ever be, probably, and I didn’t wince once at the writing (which happens).

One of the best aspects of the show was the total variety: 22 actors, no repeats, in 7 shows. Each one was a pilot episode. Crashed afterwards, even though the fresh-faced Apprentice Co. invited me to the after-party. Sean, if you’re reading this, congrats. You were as good as I could have hoped for. Now just be aware Colin might be paying a visit to your room at night…

End Of the Line

austin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:43:24 +0000

By some twist of fate I’ll never quite understand, a spanky four-page excerpt of RUST appears in The New York Times in this Sunday’s magazine. I’m sure most readers thought, WTF? A play in the pages of the Times? First time ever. But I will happily take unprecedented as an adjective.

Fingers crossed this gives the play a chance to find new audiences…

listening, II

austin — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:21:45 +0000

Alex Hamel and Jared Wekenman finally uncorked one from the RUST soundtrack. “Flying” is the first track to debut from the original underscore they composed — and it’s terrific. Just the right tone and tempo. The full album is out in April 2012, but they released this snack now. These two are so incredibly talented, I wish I had the bank to keep them working all year.

listen to this

austin — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:00:09 +0000

S. Carey, All We Grow.

It’s been awhile since I’ve had that distinct pleasure of discovering a new musician. Carey apparently loved Bon Iver so much, he tracked him down on tour, convinced him to hire him as a drummer, and then released this album, which is, admittedly, Ivery. But in the best way. It’s got minimalistic, Reich-ian pulse percussion, moody atmospherics that I love, and that gentle, unpressured singing style that Bon Iver uses. Can’t rave enough.