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Our cinematographer, Steve Gainer, with Red camera and Easy-rig, prepared for SUPER.

Holy shit! Only three days in and we've already completed well over a hundred set-ups.  Due to SUPER'S low-budget nature, we have to shoot fast as hell, but our crew has been up to the task.  Special shout outs go to our director of photography, Steve Gainer (Bully), who is somehow making this thing look fucking beautiful despite the lack of time, and our assistant director, Sheri Davani, who is the first A.D. I've ever met who likes to plan out things as much as I do.  To be able to realistically do this film – a movie with over 200 scenes, action sequences, and huge movie stars, all for just a fraction of a Hollywood movie budget – the three of us need to think with one brain and work in perfect unison. So far we've done it. But I don't think I'll feel much relief till I get to the Christmas break on December 24!

Everything else is falling into place.  The Crimson Bolt costume, created by Mary Matthews, is simultaneously humorous, sad, disconcerting, and even a little scary – just like I wanted it to be.  SUPER isn't just a "comedy" as the trades like to call it – it's an independent fable about a lost man who attempts to become something more. Our crew has been fucking awesome – on a movie set, if one person screws up it can cost you hours and tens of thousands of dollars.  So far nearly everyone has been doing a superior job.

Rainn Wilson has been incredible so far as Frank D'arbo, the Crimson Bolt. He delivered a monologue on Thursday that brought me to tears.  He is going to shock the fuck out of all of you as Frank, who is nothing like characters he has played in the past.  And Liv Tyler is amazing as Sarah D'arbo, Frank's troubled wife. For Sarah, I wanted someone who was believable and real and yet had one foot in the spirit realm. Liv's sweet by edgy nature is perfect for the role.  I am so lucky to have both these performers.  Yesterday, we filmed a very, very different sort of sex scene and it was a heap of fun.

Tonight we have another big star coming in, who plays Jacques, the nicest supervillain you'd ever want to meet.  I'm dying to tell you who it is, as he's been one of my favorite actors for many, many years, but the fucking publicists haven't put out the press release yet so I'm not allowed to say anything.  Come on, publicists!  The world wants to know who's playing Jacques!!!

And there are a few other casting surprises for you in SUPER… some of them good friends who I've worked with in the past… you can probably guess some of them… but there are three actors from SLiTHER, four actors from TROMEO & JULIET, and one actor from SCOOBY-DOO.  And, for the hell of it, I also had to cast one of my favorite actors who starred on my favorite all-time TV show, THE WIRE. 

I realized I'm being kind of a bitch dropping all these hints and not letting you know.  But maybe it will get the publicists moving so I can be free to talk about who's in the movie.  Here and there I'll be dropping hints or even letting the cat completely out of the bag on my Twitter feed – http://www.twitter.com/james_gunn.

Also fun is the SUPER Twitter feed – http://twitter.com/TedHope/super – this is the feeds of many of the cast and crew members of SUPER, all in one place.  You can get such great little glimpses into set life as this:

@seangunn

@IllWilliamX

@JoeBluhm

Overheard on set: "Get the right angle so we don't see Rainn's [Wilson] scrotum." – James Gunn

@Sheri_The_AD

At one point yesterday I was stuck in a small bedroom with 13 men and a jib arm, I'm happy to be shooting in the living room today.

@james_gunn

Onto Day 3, in which @seangunn debuts as 'Toby'! I slept 8 hours! I'll need it to deal with by brother's diva behavior!

@TedHope

Perfect! Dailies just arrived at the apartment. I am watching @RainnWilson marry Liv Tyler all over again and it is Beautiful!

@rainnwilson

Actual direction given by @James_Gunn on set of SUPER- "Look up in fear and awe at the finger of God!"

@Sheri_The_AD

The set medic just asked me if I was ok b/c she's never seen me leave set and if she should get me a catheter bag

@Vampstar 

It's Friday.. And Day 3.. And there will be blood today – just a mini-fountain for now but still.. The excitement is escalating!

@ambushent 

@_christopher_d

So we just had some sorority girls trying to sing Christmas Carols to the cast at basecamp on the movie "Super"

@rainnwilson

Made beautiful, weird (and fictional) love to Liv Tyler tonight for 'Super'. I love my job.

So follow the Twitter SUPER list. Because just seeing the movie isn't enough anymore. You need to know every little tiny detail of the film as it's being made as well (also – if you do follow the list you'll see a couple of secret cast members I'm not yet allowed to announce.  Just saying.)

That's it for now. Talk soon,

James

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