The Sentimental Engine Slayer, film by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

So.. after school today, i'm driving home when my dad calls me on my cell and tells me to go to Club 101 since TMV was going to be there filming something.

i showed up around three and there were about thirty people waiting in the first section of the club. Everyone waited there while a scene was being set up in the main club area. After almost two hours, Omar and some other guy lead the waitng group of people into the main part of the club and start arranging people in certain areas to act as if they were mingling in a real bar. I was among this crowd and sat at the bar. I sat there for a couple minutes trying to get a good picture with my cell phone, but the entire time they had smoke machines running so i couldn't get a clear shot of Omar--who was never in the same place at once. I only got one decipherable picture of when i was sitting at the bar. He walked around the bar telling people to act natural, telling them what the scene was calling for. when he got to where i was, he looks at me, grabs my shoulders and says, "You look too young to be at the bar. go mingle around the tables." I then went to a table where Marfred was sitting and waited for an opportunity to ask him about Zechs Marquise, Bedlam, etc., etc.

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After everyone was situated, I notice Omar directing two lanky drag queens with over-the-top makeup. when i looked closely at one of them, I realized it was Marcel and tried desperately to get a decipherable picture but it was just too blurry from the smoke mahines. His makeup was similar to the new Heath Ledger Joker from the upcoming Batman movie.

before they started shooting anything, they announced that we were on the set of a scene for "Movie Title"(it was a pretty long title i can't recall). apparently, it's a film by Omar unrelated to TMV or Manual Dexterity. when they finally started filming, Omar and Marcel-in full drag- were sitting at the bar and were hugging and very close to each other as if they were a couple.

after about 30 min of multiple takes, we took a break in which I walked around and noticed Paul Hinojos and Juan Alderete. besides Omar and Marcel, they were the only other TMV members present. Paul and Juan were just sitting there away from the crowd talking to each other. I asked them about TBiG and their tour. They confirmed they would be playing several dates in South America as a warm-up tour. from the way they spoke of it, it will probably be a solo tour. they then said they will be playing new years eve in San Francisco. Paul also mentioned they'd be playing back to back shows for when they play El Paso. I asked them both about all the hype surrounding TBiG, and Paul pretty much shared the sentiments of everyone who's heard the album up to this point. in comparison to their other albums, he stated it was "heavier". i don't really know what he means by that, but that's how he described it: "heavier".

after the break, the new scene was to be a dancefloor sequence. before anyone set foot on the dancefloor, Omar surveyed the crowd and started picking people and leading them to the dancefloor. he assembled four younng females and three guys. when it came time to pick the last guy, some guy next to me suggested to Omar that he put me in the scene. he looked at me and reiterated,"eh..you look too young." but he shrugged it off and put me on the dancefloor anyway. in the scene, Omar and Marcel are slow dancing pressed up against each other. after another 30 min or so of takes, they thanked us for being extras and it was over. i wanted to talk to Omar after everything was done, but he was quickly surrounded by a bunch of people asking for autographs. I swear the goddamn people asked him to sign like 15 items in a row. i didn't want to be part of that since it appeared he was uncomfortable. one guy walked up to him and asked him to sign a Vaya lp and he looked very irritated while he signed it.

i was going to approach him after this but decided against it.

i wish i could've gotten more pics, especially of Marcel in drag and Omar with facial prosthetics(wounds). i'm postive people got some good quality pics. i'll scour Myspace to see if any pop up and post them here.

usiamo questa discussione per discutere di quel film di cui si parla nella discussione di Bedlam, poi sposto i post al riguardo qui, intanto c'è questo articolo in spagnolo

I notice Omar directing two lanky drag queens with over-the-top makeup. when i looked closely at one of them, I realized it was Marcel and tried desperately to get a decipherable picture but it was just too blurry from the smoke mahines. His makeup was similar to the new Heath Ledger Joker from the upcoming Batman movie.