THE DIRECTOR'S CUT >>>

"I was supposed to be done with this thing already," Tchinski tells me. "Of course, you know how things go."

Let me break it down for you: "this thing" refers to Grimises Rising, the new feature-length horror-thriller from director Harry Tchinski of Graham. After the splashes his previous film, Spaceship Terror, made in 2011 at Seattle's True Independent Film Festival (STIFF) and Tacoma Film Festival, Tchinski began shooting Grimises last October.

Then "things" happened, causing delays in production. Sometimes it's beyond even the director's control, like coordinating the schedules of over a dozen cast and crew members. But Tchinski admits to a perfectionist streak that occasionally comes alive on set.

"I'm always changing stuff, because it's never the way I like it. I'm pretty picky!" he laughs.

At least Tacoma's Freighthouse Square helped lighten his workload. Since the bulk of Grimises takes place within a haunted house, Tchinski made good use of the Square's annual Halloween attraction, Black Lake Asylum, instead of building all new sets from scratch. Five months after he began, Tchinski shot his final scene this past weekend.

Now he trades in his director's hat for another - editor - since he will personally assemble the majority of the footage, as well as design the special effects. Tchinski says he prefers doing color correction in Avid, while using Adobe Premiere Pro for the director's cut.

With the hard part over, Tchinski can look back at his progress with relief and a bit of awe. "I'm always surprised when I finish one of these things," he says. ("Things" again - he talks so casually, you would think he just completed a birdhouse rather than a feature film.) "You know what you want in your head, but the thing has a life of its own."

Hopefully we can see this Frankenstein's monster of local entertainment soon. Follow Grimises Rising on Facebook here.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Tacoma City Council: It's expected to impose a 5 percent tax on admissions to some of Tacoma's largest nonprofit museums, theaters and performing arts groups tonight - a long-term sustainable solution for Tacoma's arts programs, but not popular with the large arts organizations. (News Tribune)

Lacey Shooting: The gunman is still on the loose. (News Tribune)

Pugnetti Park: Jerry Pugnetti says the park named after his father should be saved. (News Tribune)

GOP Presidential Primary: The pressure is on Mitt Romney in Illinois today. (CNN)

Justice Department: It's investigating the fatal shooting of an unarmed 17-year-old boy by a crime watch volunteer last month in Florida. (The New York Times)

Housing For The Homeless: 14 smart and sensitive solutions. (Web Urbanist)

Daniel Radcliffe: One of his first post-Hogwarts roles will be Beat poet Allen Ginsberg. (Slash Film)

Burger Battle: Wendy's unseats Burger King as country's second biggest hamburger chain. (Huffington Post)

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations behind-the-scenes TV crew videos. (Laughing Squid)

Yes!: 29 of fashion's mysteries solved. (Refinery 29)

When Critics Mattered: Kael, Ebert and '70s film. (Boston Review)

Is Slactivism Better Than Doing Nothing at All?: Watch to find out. (Mother Jones)

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 >>>

1. The internationally-acclaimed exhibition Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture caused a ruckus when it debuted at The Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery in 2010. David Wojnarowicz's unfinished film, A Fire in My Belly, was removed from the exhibition, sparking a national controversy, demonstrations and renewed discussions about censorship and artists' rights. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) called the exhibition "an outrageous use of taxpayer money," and a spokesperson for House Speaker John Boehner told The Hill newspaper "Smithsonian officials should either acknowledge the mistake or be prepared to face tough scrutiny beginning in January." Tacoma Art Museum - which celebrates the opening of Hide/Seek today - will proudly include A Fire in My Belly along with photographs and paintings by a slew of famous American artists with an eye toward issues of gender and sexual identity for nearly 150 years of American art. Yes, this is the queer show. And despite outrage by a few people such as Cantor and Boehner, it has been a stupendous success with audiences across the country. Read Alec Clayton full feature on Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in the Arts section at weeklyvolcano.com.

2. The Women's League of University of Puget Sound Flea Market will be awesome. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Memorial Fieldhouse, expect more than 50 booths of antiques, not to mention: collectible dolls, oversized calculators, his and hers chocolate mummies, little plastic models of 747 airplanes, a griffin's toe, three rectangular-block-shaped wooden Santa Clauses, bouncing ice cubes, a copy of Rubber World magazine, four condiment trays, lots of walnuts - and more.

3. With its language-related title and collection of seemingly disparate sections that slowly merge into one larger story, Kinyarwanda - its name taken from the official dialect of Rwanda - is the latest docudrama on the 1994 slaughter of some 100 million Tutsis by Hutu militia. The Grand Cinema screens this extremely moving film at 1 p.m. followed by a Skype discussion with the film's producer, Darren Dean. After the 5:55 p.m. screening, The Grand will Skype the film's director, Alrick Brown.

4. Scottish fiddle, Cuban and Brazilian rhythms, funky bass lines and a
healthy dose of jazz harmony and improvisation come together when Neil
Pearlman brings his new band to the Mandolin Café at 8 p.m. according to around 46 news agencies, Pearlman and crew will blow you off Mandolin's comfy couch.

5. There is a rumor that people do something on St. Patrick's Day besides watch Leprechaun 4: In Space on the Sci-Fi Channel (oops - Syfy). We can't imagine what that would be, unless it involves these South Sound joints.

MORE THINGS TO DO: The Weekend Hustle

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight in the region

LINK: South Sound happy hour food and drinks

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Scandal County: Pierce County Council crosses its fingers and rubs rabbit feet in hopes Assessor-Treasure Dale Washam resigns. (News Tribune)

While You Were Watching MythBusters: Tacoma City Council came up with a plan to pay for mental health and substance-abuse programs. (News Tribune)

GOP Presidential Race: Rick Santorum owns the Alabama and Mississippi. (CNN)

Today In Resigning Financial Leaders: Executive Director Greg Smith probably won't have his picture hanging on the walls of Goldman Sachs. (The New York Times)

New Star Wars film: Topher Grace edits Stars Wars Episodes I through III into one film. (Slashfilm)

The Shins' New Album: You can stream Port of Morrow on iTunes. (Paste Magazine)

Speaking Of Streaming: Jack White has a new song. (Twenty Four Bit)

Green King: Burger King to offer free fries and green ketsup on St. Patrick's Day. (Huffington Post)

Helpful Tip Of The Day: What to do when the elevator starts a free-fall. (The New York Times)

Today's French Cat Video

JESSE HARRIS DID, AND STARTED SEATTLE'S NFFTY >>>

Let's talk numbers.

21

Jesse Harris' age when he co-founded the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (the cool kids call it NFFTY) in Seattle with Jocelyn R.C. and Kyle Seago. What had YOU accomplished by that time in your life? Probably starting your career and/or going to college, you sad underachiever you.

Actually, Harris also heard the higher calling to higher education, but ultimately listened to the moviemaker within and completed his first feature (shot mostly in Puyallup) at ...

17

But first Harris' parents had to help bankroll the project, which meant dipping into the college fund. "It took a little convincing, but I think finally they realized that no matter what they said, I was going to do it anyway," Harris laughs.

Harris wasn't going at it alone, as he soon found out. When other teenage filmmakers began taking notice and seeking him out for distribution advice, Harris started NFFTY. "There's so many other young people other there ... who have films (but) nowhere to have them screened," he says.

Like so much in life, the movie industry plays its own numbers game, doling out respect and acceptance only to those who reach some nebulous age of maturity. And despite the quality of their work, the youngest typically get overlooked. NFFTY turns six in 2012, itself a baby in the film festival universe. Yet a look at its figures for this year show otherwise.

700 - The approximate number of submissions

200 - Roughly the number of films shown at this year's fest, hailing from almost a dozen countries besides the U.S.

10,000 - The projected attendance

22 - The maximum allowable age of the films' directors

Jesse Harris

Even if he wanted to, ironically Harris can't enter the festival he started. Now 26 and relishing his role as NFFTY's artistic director, Harris firmly believes the works screening April 26-29 can hold their own against more adult-oriented festivals. "We really have the next Spielbergs and the next Scorseses (at NFFTY)," he says. Time for an all-out film fest turf war!

Nah, let's just unite and breakdance instead. Harris says you definitely must see this amazing film from Germany that he calls "breakdancing storytelling ... I can't even describe it; you just have to see it!" And En Route, a jaw-dropping visual spectacle from Baltimore's 22-year-old Colin Levy, has effects that could make John Carter look like Coach Carter.

Number of reasons you still need to check out NFFTY: 0

Find the festival schedule and purchase tickets at http://www.nffty.org. Tune into my interview with Harris this week on Volcano Radio, which airs Thursday, March 15 from 8-9 p.m. on www.nwczradio.com and is available as a podcast at www.weeklyvolcano.com directly following. 

TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2012 >>>

1. Finnish director and master of deadpan Aki Kaurismäki's Le Havre follows Marcel Marx, a sleepy, aging bohemian whose amblings run him afoul of Idrissa, a young African boy trying to sneak to England to reunite with his mother. With little hesitation, Marx begins helping him, first by leaving him food, then by giving him shelter, then by getting his neighbors involved, all while evading a dogged inspector. Le Havre, without ever mussing its hair or upsetting the deadpan fun, offers a testament to the warmth of people at their most wonderful. Catch it at 2:15 and 6:45 p.m. as part of The Grand Cinema's Tuesday Film Series.

2. Drop by the Mystic Mocha in Graham from noon to 4 p.m. for Tarot Reading with Hank. Hank? Can you see a Hank in flowing robes, leaning over a small table in a candlelit room, foretelling impending doom? Hank's a real name. Hank's your buddy. Hank's the kind of guy you can trust, the kind of guy you can drink a beer with, the kind of guy who doesn't mind if you puke in his car, Hank! Well, that's not really what Tarot cards are about. In fact, they're not even really meant to tell your fortune or future. According to The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, "The most powerful sources of information come from within; the Tarot aids in coming in contact with one's Higher Self." See Hank.

3. An off-the-court fundraiser for the Tacoma Titans paralympic basketball team will be held from 5-9 p.m. inside Moctezuma's Restaurant. Fans can meet and greet the players, and eat a bunch of tacos. Moctezuma's will donate 20 percent of proceeds to the Titans. 

4. The Asia Pacific Cultural Center hosts a Japanese Tea Ceremony at 6:30 p.m. inside the Lakewood Library as part of the Pierce County READS program. Pierce County Library System selected Jamie Ford's best-seller Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - the story of the Japanese American internment during World War II through the eyes and voice of a child as he matures through life.

5. One of the quickest ways to impress someone is with a show of skill. And one of the easiest ways to get close to an attractive stranger is to ask them to dance. Said invitation is more likely to be accepted if you've been showing off your moves on the dance floor; doing it well turns heads. OlySwing offers an introductory swing class at 7 p.m. followed by the OlySwing Swing Dance from 7:30-10:30 p.m. inside the Olympia Eagles Ballroom. Since no partner is needed, this type of instruction is great for those rolling solo.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight in the region

LINK: South Sound happy hour food and drinks

STAND-UP COMEDY CAN BE BRUTAL >>>

There's nothing worse than a person who wants to be funny but isn't. It's painful to watch. There's a difference between having a good sense of humor and possessing the ability to be funny in front of a crowd, knowing timing, tone and body language.

I've been a judge for the Seattle International Comedy Competition at least once in each of the last three decades. I've watched one comedian after another take the stage to a thunderous round of applause, say words, then leave to a few hand claps. The competitors would repeat the process night after night in a different city until a champion was crowned.

Brutal.

Factor in a panel of humans - with jobs, mortgages, family and demons of their own - is there to judge, as well as pay for their own drinks. The results can be a crapshoot.

There isn't room for amateurs, at least at the Seattle International Comedy Competition.

And yet people like Mike Agostini continue to sign up and go through the grueling routine.

Agostini left teaching in 1997 after a 13-year run to start the Fairlane Painting Company. He always wanted to try stand-up but didn't work up the nerve to try until age 44. He broke his cherry at an open mic night at The Comedy Underground in Tacoma. The prestigious Seattle International Comedy Competition was his ultimate goal. In the '80s, Agostini pointed flashlights at seats during the competition at the Paramount Theatre. He'd pause and watch the comedians. He knew someday. ...

Twenty-two months after that first open mic night Agostini's name graced the list of SICC contestants.

"I knew it would be a one-time shot and I had also heard of all the bizarre things that occur almost every year, so I hired a film crew to follow me on my adventure," says Agostini.

The resulting documentary, Broken Mike, captures not only Agostini's pursuit of a dream but also the passion of several other contestants as they experience one of the most stressful weeks of their lives.

Broken Mike earned The Award of Excellence in Filmmaking from the Canada Film Festival. The one-day festival receives hundreds of submissions. It's an honor to be selected.

"I am traveling up there to attend the festival and awards presentation on March 31," Agostini says proudly.

Before Agostini heads north, he's screening the documentary in Tacoma Saturday night at the Grit City Comedy Club. I tossed a couple questions his way.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: How would you describe the documentary?

MIKE AGOSTINI: The doc is not just about me. It's a behind-the-scenes look into the minor league ranks of stand-up comedy. All famous comedians working today started the same way - one nighters battling with drunken hecklers. The doc captures all of it.

VOLCANO: How did you fare?

AGOSTINI: I start off well but quickly see my dream fading as I am consistently near the bottom of the 16-person field. Each new night brings new hope and I try again only to see the same result. Yet, every night I pick myself up and try again.

Others experience success. Some snap! Arlo Stone defends the Spotted Owl and threatens to burn down new construction sites in order to protect the old growth forests. Not a popular thing to say on stage in front of 700 loggers at The Columbia Theater in Longview.

VOLCANO: Has Broken Mike opened new doors?

AGOSTINI: Canada Film Festival is the first success, so I would have to say yes. Sixteen other festivals including Sundance have rejected the doc. Sundance is Mecca to filmmakers. I had to try. I am not sure why it is not experiencing more success. Maybe it is the content? Most docs focus on social issues or starving children. Mine has neither. The film was shot with some great cameras but the lighting is not always perfect - maybe that's why? To me it has a Gonzo or Guerrilla feel to it. Two doors that I hope it opens are Tacoma and the Seattle film festivals. I've submitted to both. Tacoma makes the decisions June and Seattle in April.

VOLCANO: How long was the film process?

AGOSTINI: The actual editing of the film took almost six years. I entered SICC in November of 2006 but was unable to afford an editor. We had 26 hours of film. In August of 2011 I finally met an amazing young man named Sean Puno who agreed to edit the film for me in exchange for 25 percent ownership of the profits. He knows there will be no profits; he's just a nice guy. But what he did was amazing.

The soundtrack is from Stewboss - an L.A. based band I met while down there a few years ago. Their music is a major reason the doc works.

VOLCANO: What are your reflections on your chops as a comic at this point in your career?

AGOSTINI: Funny to watch the film now. A lot of the jokes I do in the film I no longer do. Maybe it's me in a pink bra that is hurting my submission record?

I'm glad I started stand-up. Glad I entered SICC. But I rarely do stand-up these days. I still love it when I do. I've become Bill Murray on the piano in Groundhog Day. I can look at a stage and say to myself, "I could make these people laugh in here."

My new passion is acting. You can look me up on IMDB.com. I even got to work with Luke Perry on Leverage. He was awesome.

VOLCANO: What is your favorite time of day to watch a film in a theater?

AGOSTINI: I prefer watching movies in the afternoon. It is less expensive, and there is nobody wrestling with a plastic wrapper directly behind me.

VOLCANO: Why the screening Saturday night?

AGOSTINI: The event is a fundraiser to raise money for travel expenses to The Canada Film Festival as well as others that we will hopefully get into. Admission to the event is on a donation basis - whatever people feel like contributing. I will also have DVDs for sale of Broken Mike for $15. I will also be performing that same night - doing an extended "guest spot" with headliner Joe Fontenote at 8:30 p.m.

[Grit City Comedy Club, Broken Mike screening, Saturday, March 10, 5:30 p.m., donations, Broken Mike DVDs $15, 445 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, 253.961.4262]

HISTORY IN THE FILM-MAKING >>>  

The Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) in Seattle has brought back its History Is ____ Film Competition for a second time since beginning in 2011.

Then I suppose what they say about history is true...

(I take off my shades and peer seductively into my readers' eyes)

...It has a way of repeating itself. (We kiss. End scene.)

As MOHAI's Manager of Programs and Community Engagement Helen Divjak remembers, "(The competition) last year really went beyond what we'd expected... We were really overwhelmed with not only the number, but the quality of the entries."

Now you can do your part to make the new batch of films bigger and even better. But first, the rules: Each work has between one and five minutes to creatively fill in the above blank with any word or phrase of one's choosing. For example, History is HUGE.

So how to cover a topic as old as the Big Bang (and getting older) in the span of minutes?

Don't, Divjak says. "Don't try to tell the history of the world. Don't try to tell a story that you don't find inherently fascinating. History is a very personal thing...and we want to encourage a personal interpretation."

But do get a mov(i)e on soon - MOHAI needs filmed submissions by Saturday, March 31. Prizes ranging from $500 to $1,500 should help as an incentive. For a full rundown of guidelines, visit mohai.indieflix.com or email film@seattlehistory.org.

Learn from history and take a look at the 2011 submissions here.

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012 >>>

1. The Academy Awards 2012 nominees for Live Action Shorts are hitting movie screens across the nation, including The Grand Cinema today. You can view the five nominated shorts -- Pentecost , Raju, The Shore, Time FreakandTuba Atlantic - at 2:05 and 7:10 p.m.

2. Get your groove on tonight in Parkland. DJ Adam Ant spins during "Twisted Tuesday" at Lady Luck Cowgirl Up, offering Top 40 action and karaoke. The good times start at 9 p.m. Or, if you're looking for something more, peruse the Volcano's extensive live local music listings here.

3. Sinatra-esque crooner Chris Anderson takes his show to the Red Wind Casino tonight, hitting all the notes and making the ladies swoon in the process. Anderson has repeatedly proven to offer a throwback good time.

4. Get geared up for St. Patrick's Day tonight at O'Blarney's in Olympia (feels like Lacey). Every Tuesday the bar unleashes its "Irish Sessions," featuring live traditional Irish music.

5.Speaking of going Irish, drop in on karaoke with Danny Ray tonight at O'Malley's Irish Pub in Tacoma.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

TUESDAY FILM SERIES ALERT >>>

I often think the Academy Awards have about as much to do with honoring cinematic excellence as a high school cheerleading contest has to do with which girl does the best backflips. I wish the television broadcast could include a screening of the winning live action shorts to celebrate this wonderful cinematic art form. Instead, this year's broadcast included a hilarious euphemistic bit with the cast of Bridesmaids arguing that length doesn't matter - when it comes to films, that is. "I'd rather have a short film that is nice to me than a long one that lies there and makes me do all the work." Wise words from Kristen Wiig.

The Shore grabbed this year's live action short Oscar with its surprise twist of an O. Henry tale.

The Academy Awards 2012 nominees for Live Action Shorts are hitting movie screens across the nation, including The Grand Cinema tomorrow. You may view the following five nominated shorts at 2:05 and 7:10 p.m.

Pentecost (11 min): When Damian is forced to serve as an altar boy at an important mass in his local parish, he faces a difficult choice: conform to the status quo, or serve an extended ban from his life's passion - football.  

Raju (24 min; in German and English with English subtitles): The filmmakers of RAJU succeed at making the moral dilemma faced by couples wishing to adopt emotionally palpable. 

The Shore (31 min; contains some Gaelic with English subtitles): After 25 years in exile, Jim Mahon (Ciaran Hinds) returns to Ireland to show his American daughter Patty (Kerry Condon) his Belfast roots. But things don't go as planned when she learns of a secret love triangle and a long-lost best friend.

Time Freak (11 min): A neurotic inventory creates a time machine, only to get caught up traveling around yesterday.

Tuba Atlantic (25 min; In Norwegian with English subtitles): Everybody is going to die one day. Oskar, 70, is going to die in six days. He is now ready to forgive his brother for a disagreement years ago. Will he reach his brother, who lives on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, before it's too late?

[The Grand Cinema, Tuesday, March 6, 2:05 and 7:10 p.m., $5.50-$9, 606 S. Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, 253.593.4474]

LINK: South Sound movie times