Saw a guy called Josh on a TV show which reminded me of Haiku Tunnel and thought “I wonder if Josh will ever make the Love and Taxes movie?”. Little did I know and this is a great way to make it happen. Wish I could afford $2,500 to get my girlfriend in it – we both loved the monologue – you may have to make do with $25 though, we gave the rest to the tax man (hmmm, maybe “The Man” would like to be in the movie?)

Hi, Everyone:

We haven’t done the editing yet, but I wanted to tell you that our Love & Taxes shoot last month — supported by your generous donations — went really, really well. Producer Raub Shapiro again assembled a world-class crew — including, of course, our beloved cinematographer, Hiro Narita — and presided over a warm yet professional atmosphere during our four days of shooting.

We shot at the Sheppard Mullin law firm in San Francisco — whose office manager, the mysterious and glamorous Aline Pearl, has always felt a bit guilty about firing my sorry secretarial ass over 20 years ago. (Actually, she isn’t guilty about that at all: In fact, she reminded me of my lame excuse on my last day there, when I came in an hour late — I told her that I was staying with some people who, unbeknownst to me, refused to observe Daylight Savings Time.) Aline (whom we name-checked in Haiku Tunnel) ended up being one of the extras in a scene we shot there — and seemed a bit nervous that this time I might fire her! But she (and all the other extras, most of them playing clients of our fictional attorney, Bob Shelby) did a great job (and never came in even a minute late!).

Even the one aspect of the shoot that was (unavoidably) uncomfortable — the fact that on Sundays the building isn’t air conditioned — ended up serving our story, as my character is supposed to be increasingly sweaty over the course of the sequence. With temperatures approaching Saharan levels, I never had to resort to fake sweat or drawing on my fabled method-acting technique; I was naturally drenched.

Several of you had a “perk” coming to you that was your name on a fake tax-law book — you should know that we made extra-sure to get close-ups of all those books, and you will (as promised) be receiving your lovely fake book-covers as mementos. All the other “perks” will, of course, be going out to everyone as well (as some already have).

Brother Jake — who was his typically inspiring self as he directed these scenes (as opposed, I guess, to my typically perspiring self) — and I have always treasured the sense of community that builds up around our projects. It was a special joy, on this shoot, to feel — beyond the wonderful community of our cast and crew — the support of all of you who have chosen to support a really, really independent film project! Thank you!!!

Take care,
Josh