Advances in Costuming

After protracted negotiations with the Trouble and Strife -- repeated assurances of fine meals for the next week, foot massages and general servitude -- we have our costume designer. None other than she, the Trouble and Strife.

A quick reassurance to readers: this is not nepotism. To evidence that claim consider: i) the green dress on the right, ii) the orange vest left and iii) the blue dress below (so beautifully set off by the imported orange tights), all works of art, and all made in-house.




Alien outfits, here we come!!

Character work

I'm still feeling residual pain from the WWF move I walked into yesterday, which is to say I can't turn my neck past about 5 degrees left or right. Anyway, I don't want to whinge; bottom line: I wasn't physically capable of monitoring construction today to any of the standards set by the Trouble and Strife.



So ....




We worked on getting into character. Aliens 1 and 2 spent time sampling and experimenting with the local world's cuisine. Witness Alien 1's culinary effort: fruit rolls (fresh nectarine and banana wrapped in salty seaweed) - not as bad as it might sound.



And Alien 2's sampling of lemon.

Where is Justus?

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

No, it's my climbing partner, and yours truly was stupid enough to try moving a mat under him as he dropped back to earth. Which in the end amounted to attempting to catch Justus with my head.

We were actually at the gym at the time, but the archival photo on the right gives you an idea of the hulking sack of potatoes that left me feeling like an American footballer who's been blind-sided by one of the big runner guys that lines up in front at the beginning of the play.





Bare-backed and rippling muscles is one look for climbing, the alternate look is exhibited here by Alien 1.

Chin chin (the somewhat incapacitated) Ruthless Whims

The Trouble and Strife

Consigned to penance.

After flagrantly violating the Trouble and Strife's attempts at censorship (use of her image in the previous post) Alien 2 photographed me making amends (those are tea-towels and handkerchiefs, the extent of my ironing prowess).




The Trouble and Strife is not to be trifled with. I love this woman!!

Parental Involvement

Today was the first day wrangling new blood into the fold. Results: unexpected.




Focus was good in the team (see photo on left). ... The unsuspecting recruits arrived ... and all four girls headed for the hills. Literally! The gorgeous woman in blue took them for a run. Pushing them ten miles in a stroller!




In a stroke of good fortune I was left with the new recruits' mother: an artist, a creative entity, a new co-conspirator on the visual side. Check out http://www.jclaypottery.com for a sense of Jeana's pedigree.





The results: bones of the Alien spaceship's console.

A Handy beginning

Today's sustenance: Breakfast cereal with fresh grapes.


Oh my!

I've grown a hand!!









Hey, we've both grown hands. Look we can operate on this unsuspecting monkey :)

CC, you take care of the intruder, I've almost got the brain!



Later in the week we're hoping to Tom Sawyer some unsuspecting extras into action.

Hunting and gathering.

The big task this morning was assembling some raw ingredients. As you can see, Lily landed the first exotic catch. Though with the look in CC's eyes it should come as little surprise to see she too nabbed a green-eyed monster (see below, the return from the hunt; CC in the car door, rubber haired quarry in hand).

The only things we didn't find were paint and blue cellophane, the two things we came looking for ...

The Aliens should have "hands" by day's end. Stay tuned for images of construction.

And now hair department

I was going to try holding on to the camera department - though frankly Lily has shot some engaging little segments now - but hair .... well I kind of think she's done a pretty amazing job with the wig for me this morning. I'd never really considered the Rastafarian look, but it's working, no?

The scarves were also her, which I guess means costume had better watch out, but then that's been pretty clear for a while, and on that front she'll have to compete with her sister.

The wider shot below gives a slightly better sense of the whole ensemble.

Chin chin Ruthless Whims

The Camera Department ...

Lily is angling to move behind the camera. I tried telling her it should be enough that the story revolves around the Alien she will be playing, but she's got a bit of her mother in her - never does anything by half ...

I'm worried about maintaining control here.

Chin chin Ruthless Whims

Snail's Pace Prop Shop Spirals out of control

What started as an outing to buy a couple of windup snails quickly grew to incorporate the must-have duck and fish - which have already spawned ideas for self-incorporation.

Then before I knew it the girls had hit upon an element for their Alien spaceship - that's not exactly how they pitched it, but that's certainly how I saw it. I think the twists and tangles will only help; as long as we can get the slinkies out of CC's hair. Perhaps it all went pear-shaped when she took off her truth seeing goggles?

Chin chin Ruthless Whims

Alien Development--Prototype 0

Early design for the Aliens. Think bright color, a bag hump on the back, spiked blonde hair and orange fur all over their bodies. That's where we're at at this point. It's a work in progress and we'll keep you abreast.

Chin chin Ruthless Whims

The Squirrel King

Today's sustenance: watermelon popsicles and baked beans on toast.

The girls are running around all aliened-out, and we're wrestling with modern technology .. if you're reading this, we've won our first battle.

Where did The Squirrel King start? On long drives to natural rocks. Los Angeles is a mecca for climbing ... there's also a little entertainment industry here, and The Squirrel King is our addition to the latter spawned by fatigued musings that follow long days of physical toil conquering the former (rocks that is, with smelly old shoes and a bag of chalk).

Welcome and we hope you enjoy the creative process.

Chin chin Ruthless Whims and Justus (that's Jus-tuce)