From the Nightshift: On the Set of ‘Born to Die’

Jay Mager had offered me a small character role in “Born to Die”. There was an nice scene at the start of the movie and then a silent appearance in the middle and then a very brief appearance at the end. The role was called “The Asian” which was a crime boss who had been marked up by knife wounds around both eyes. The character is not likable, an egoist and a pretty much a pig. Jay told me he did not write this role about me so we cleared the air early. The location was downtown Buffalo at a bar called Club Diabo, which is decolated in hellish ways. Looks like a great place to do something you wouldn’t want to tell your mother about but smiled about in your old age.

Next it was in to makeup. Rod from Zombified Studios did an amazing job with my scars. They looked as real as the real scars I have. My hair was gelled back and I looked creepy.

The first scene was pretty much a joy as I got to work with some of my favorite actors in town: Jen Bihl (soon to be the star of Slime City Massacre), Bob Bozek (Reel Zombies) and Helen Mayhem (model and wrestler). My character was looking at Jen as another piece of meat but her character “The Black Widow” an paid assasin was having none of my sh*t and was putting me in my place. 

Jen can have an icy look when she wants to have, and I don’t think I ever want to see that look for real. She nailed every take. I did some word switching for a few takes, useable but not as good as the script version. Helena made the best massage girl/assistant a boss ever had. I could have done the scene all day as I was having that much fun. It is nice to work with people who challenge you and make you work rather than getting nothing back.

The other two scenes were brief, with me getting out of a car with my assiant Bob carrying an umbella, sadly it wasn’t a sunny day so some of the joke was lost. A phone call from the “Black Widow” finished my character up for the film. I hung out while they were shooting other scenes and drank some “That Shit Beer” which was the label made for the movie’s beer. Kelly who placed “Betty” who is the wife of the local power came up with a sequel starring “Betty” and “The Asian” so Jay if you are listening I am really for my next close up.