A trip to the 1950's- filming Day 1

they had a hairstylist cut off all of TJ's hair...he was so professional about it. 

Made me super proud!

After audtioning in February, booking the lead in March, many days traveling downtown or up to the NorthShore for endless rehearsals, fittings, and locations stops TJ started filming his movie "Billy on the Rocks" TJ auditioned for a smaller role but landed the lead. He had a good 16-18 pages of dialogue to memorize.

The home they filmed in was spot on. The director really put some time in and nailed the locations. This home she randomly went up and knocked on the door. A 100 + year old home with a 90 year old couple living in it. The decor looked original.

Once agian I was hired to shoot the stills that follow the movie and I get credit....3 movie credits to my name..WOOHOO. Plus I get access to the set...which rocks

The night/day before filming started we got hit with a monster storm and were stuck in oour house. TJ's call time was 8 am and we were surrounded by water with no way out. Our cars were under water. The director sent her father to pick TJ up from the North Shore. Callahan had to tow TJ in the kayak down the block to higher ground , drop TJ off and tow the 2nd kayak back. 

My brother in law picked me up at my porch hours later as his giant Ram truck cut right through the flood waters. He then took me to Long Grove where I got my MIL's car.

So scary to think "what if we couldn't get out and 3 months of prep and a dozen or so people all waiting for TJ to get there."

It all worked out and all of us had a ball. It is a great movie

Day 2 next

TJ had to hold that giant steak on his eye...so gross

It is so wonderful to see TJ just light up when acting....he loves the pampering and star treatment he gets, but sometimes it overwhelms him and he feels a little uncomfortable.

Everyone was super nice and they all drove in from New York for the week.

3 story winding staircase....stunning

Positive Negative- A short starring Karrick

click on this link below to see karrick's short movie

Click me to watch "Positive Negative"

Always primping and pampering-this shot is actually from this weekend Karrick filmed a movie called "Billy on the Rocks"

Below is the link to one of Karrick's shorts he has filmed in the last 2 months.

www.vimeo.com/qugo/pn

Positive Negative

from Tariq Keblaoui PLUS 20 hours ago / 

Creative Commons License:

 

by

 

nc

 

nd

 ALL AUDIENCES

Columbia College Chicago Student Homage on Stanley Kubrick.

Shot on the Canon EOS 60D -- Sound: H4n Zoom

Flood 2013

This picture says it all

For a third time in the almost 8 years we have lived in Lombard Mother Nature clobbered us.

We were able to take some measures the night before the storm hit. Tim and Callahan brought the majority of the important lower level things up. Tim shut off power to the lower level so we would have power in the rest of the house.

I woke up at 1am and the basement was dry. At 4am it was full. This is the deepest the water has ever been.

If you look behind the shed you can see balls barely staying in our yard un agaisnt the submerged chain link fence

Our lower level.
Tim and Cal brought in saw horses and put the futon on them and our couch on top of the futom We believe the couch is okay...can't see aroud corner. You can see Karrick's computer desk floating...computer was brought up. 

our cars were parked on the high part of driveway, it then slopes down to garage,. The miata is completly under water in garage. The water level covered the wheels on both cars. Most likely cars are totaled as computers probably got wet. Miata is pre-computers

I couldn't get any of the boys to school without a motor boat. Tim and I caouldn't get to work

The water when I woke up was down 6-8 inches.

It is cold today, we have no heat or hot water. The house is cool, not awful. We have TV, satelite and internet thanks to Tims handy work ( he was able to reroute the internet cables from laundry room up through Callahan's bedroom window)

So many people have offered help and really made this experience less awful. It is what it is and when the water receeds we will once again clean it up and rebuild.....it is just stuff and time and another story to add to our book of life

New shots of Karrick

Steven Palm Photography

Callahan's Confiramtion

Last night Callahan made his Confiramtion at Sacred Heart Church. TJ was his sponsor. after we celebrated at Portillo's. Oh Yeah, you read it correctly....Portillo's. It's all we had time for as it was 9pm when the mass ended.

I know the Bishop doesn't need to check with me first before booking the date, BUT could there be a worse week for me. OH HELL NO!

I worked all 5 days this week...I know cry me a river, but it's tax time in the office. Throw TJ not allowed to ride the school bus so I drop off and pick up. It contributed to his Migraines as he is movement and light sensitive...thanks GEHS

3 doctor visits and CCD. My weekends are shot because all of the sudden my kids book everything in sight...a good thing, but a time consuming thing. TJ filmed a movie last weekend, Karrick the weekend before. TJ has a commercial audition in the morning, then is filming a PSA on bullying  in the afternnon plus a movie next weekend that Karrick is also in.

I shot two gigs last week and have an event tonight. It's all good stuff and tons of fun, but Im so tired I look like a herion addict. I only made 1 bootcamp this week :(

Sunday is the day of rest and I hope to take full advantage of it

Head Shots and a day at LPZ

the pictures posted from the zoo I took

Karrick needed headshots and an old friend was coming to town.

 Steven Palm was one of the photographers that shot the kids represented by Ford Models 12 years ago. We met Steven when TJ was 5 and we just hit it off. He shot TJ and Cal a few times over the years. Steven now shoots the stars on the west coast. He contacted me saying he would be in town for business and had some free time if any of my kids needed new headshots.... TJ was already booked with Zoe McKenzie-another fave of mine. Karrick needed headshots as he hasn't had them since age 4. He is now expressing an interest in performing and has booked an Opera , 3 movies and a runway fashion show. It is time to get him with an agent...which means headshots

I picked Steven up at his Hotel and we headed to Lincoln Park Zoo. Karrick and I had already planned to go to the Zoo after the shoot as Karrick has to build the zoo for his 3rd grade Social Study project on Chicago landmarks.

Steven and Karrick just hit it off, Karrick is really hard not to love. We were there a couple hours and I hae no idea how many pictures he took. Karrick says "a bazillion"

I haven't seen the shots (a few on the camera) as Steven had to catch a plane back to CA

When I asked Karrick how he liked Steven he replied "I just want to hang out with him"

It was so great reconnecting and I wish TJ could have joined us, but I couldn't pull TJ out of school.

I anxiously await a CD arriving in the mail.

Good luck to Steven and Alisha as they are trying the knot in 2 weeks! 

 Karrick and I hung at the Zoo after the shhot and had a great mommy/Karrick day. I was pretty happy when Karrick got the zoo for his project, but now it seems really hard. Callahan got the Shedd in 3 rd grade and it turned out amazing. We made it out of styrofoam...I can't find the pictures. Kids get creative as you can use anything you want to build ie marshmellows, sticks, clay etc. Karrick wants to try legos or clay. Then in May the 3rd graders take a field trip to Chicago...it's pretty cool and a right of passage in the 3rd grade.

before and after

Callahan was born with a head full thick beautful straight hair. When puberty hit it turned wavy.

His hair has its own agenda....CRAZY! It grows super fast and into a wild afro.

Dainelle our stylist decided to go extra short and try to thin it out.

He looks so cute and is now a respectable 5' 10 1/2, 14 year old...

down from about 6 feet ;p

Lets see how long this lasts