RitM: Ill Communication, Meet the Press, Floating Mountains and the Mark of the Beast

Here's the latest on Rain in the Mountains...

Drove with Joel & Christine [left] to Seattle this morning to pick up our equipment from Oppenheimer Camera. When we were there before I hadn't noticed that the street address was 666.

We gave the camera package a good once-over. I loaded a dummy roll into one of the mags and it took up smoothly all the way through. I guess that means I remember how to load.

Everything was in working order except for the rain cover, which had a nice tear in the top. Oppenheimer got us another in short order. They ran their "double check" and then J&C wrote out "the check." The big check.

Driving back to Olympia, the majestic peak of Mount Ranier seemed to hover in the air before us. Perhaps it was an augur of the mountain yet to be scaled.

Read more (and more pictures)...Joel has been reluctant about dealing with the press the past week. I don't blame him. He has a lot on his mind. I broke the news gradually to him that he was scheduled for a phone interview at 3pm with a reporter from The Olympian. The interview went well, at least the part I listened in on. The movie is a really cool thing for the area, so I'm glad the press is interested. My only worry is that a story will cause people to come bother us at locations during shooting. I'm not worrying too much; the people of Washington state don't strike me as hecklers. If and when a story comes out, I'll be the first to link to it.

The day wound up on a sour note. Due to miscommunication, both Steve and Joe left Spokane late in the day and today's rehearsal had to be cancelled. I was on the phone with my family when all this went down, and Lillian reported that Joel was crushed. Joel is a stoic guy, not easily phased. But lately his façade is giving way, revealing the stress he's under. Christine and Lillian, meanwhile, the usual worry-warts, are lightening up. They've done a great job of planning and logistics and the fruits of their labors are practically ripe. Pat on the back, ladies. Buck up, Joel.

Let's make this movie!