Holiday Cheer!

Myself and my fellow Neptune Young Company-ers have been given two weeks away from each other for the Holidays.

Prior to our break, we were in our 13th week of the tour. Thirteen weeks of two plays, roughly 8 to 10 performances a week [do the math if you like].

I feel like a complete and utter wanker claiming fatigue in a profession such as this, because it's either this, or working at the movie theatre, but the repetition was absolutely killing me. About three weeks ago while I was standing on a stage [and by stage, I mean gym floor], halfway through a scene in Liars with Kim "Kimbo Slice" Parkhill, when I realized I had no idea what I was saying, I was the embodiment of "going through the motions".

This is what some would call a slap in the face.

I had officially encountered my first major pitfall as a young actor: comfort. My lazy ass got comfortable. Closing in on three months into the tour, I had worked myself into a groove, a lazy useless groove that I had to kick because I still had two weeks to go before the big beautiful two week Christmas break.

It was back to the script. Back to reminding myself that acting is work. It is difficult.

I did a lot of homework and reminding myself who I was working with and working for, and what an awesome experience the tour on a whole is. I have a very thick skull, but I think it worked; the thirteenth week was a treat. I heard the children laugh, the birds chirp, the sun shine, and what my fellow actors said to me during our scenes. Hoorah.

One of the crowning achievements of the tour thus far, was from our final day when we were at an elementary school in Dartmouth. After each show, we have a questions and answers period for the students to ask us any questions regarding the show or about being an actor. During this particular Q&A period, an adorable blond haired girl wearing a tie-dye t-shirt raised her hand, and asked the question "Do you guys like graveyards?"... and no, there was nothing involving graveyards or cemetaries in our show. Bizarre.

And then we were on a well deserved break, where we will remain until January 7th.

Alright, let's talk business, what the shit did I get in the name of Jesusmas?

Kristin [the lady with whom I am currently romantically linked], for GlenandKristmas [which we celebrated on the 21st] bought me a 7.2 megapixel digital camera, which I used to document the following...

Here is an un-endearing photo of Kristin.

Collection of Batman action figures that chronicles the Batmen through the ages. From Kristin.

Superbad on DVD and the TV series Long Way Down DVD from Kristin.

I got a chubby!

...get it?

Two books: Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez and The Rum Diaries by Hunter S. Thompsom. From Kristin.

A shirt from the Mother of Kristin Slaney.

This is a non-doctored (swear to Buddha) photo of our cat Lilly (AKA Rosey, Peppy). The devil lives in our cat.

Kristin built a beautiful gingerbread house with no help from anyone! Even though, she wouldn't stop asking for it.

The next day, I hopped on a bus headed to the South Shore where I would spend real-Christmas with the family in Lunenburg/Riverport...

Myself and my niece, Neve. Sometimes I like to pretend that I'm choking her.

$$$ from parents.

Here's a drawing that Neve did, and Vanessa and Curtis brought it to a screen printer and they transferred onto a t-shirt. Awesome.

Expert Bionicle builder.

One satisfied customer.

Myself playing with Neve's Optimus Prime helmet/voice-changer, and gun. It ain't no Optimus Primal, but it will do.

I'm still relaxing down in the South Shore with just under two more weeks of nothing to do to go. I plan to catch up on some good reading, play some Xbox 360, do some writing, and of course, study my scripts for the remaining two weeks left in the tour when we return.

Happy Holidays everyone! I hope all is well.

Building the GlenJMpire: Chapter Two.

CHAPTER TWO:
“JUNIOR HIERARCHY”
September 1998 to February 1999

September 1998. New bus route. New book-bag. It’s off to Junior High School at Centre Consolidated.



I already know a handful of chums from playing minor hockey with the Lunenburg Falcons so the whole “us versus them” mentality is minimal. However, there are about three grades of lady folk whom I have never laid my eyes on… three grades of women in need of impressing.

Despite 1998 being the golden age of professional wrestling, I knew that my backyard wrestling skills were not the way to a woman’s heart.



My involvement in Ultimate Wrestling Championship would have to be kept secret, for the sake of my place in the junior high school hierarchy.

In my spare time after school, I was obsessed with UWC. Drawing designs for posters, or costumes for wrestlers, practicing moves on my Alf teddy bear, creating our championship belt…



Rather than using my extracurricular time to take part in school affairs (and possibly impress girls), my life was encompassed by backyard wrestling.

One particular weekend in October, we had our second PPV (short for pay-per-view) Hell & Back and I brought the VHS (short for video-home-system) into school on Monday to give to Scott, when we decided to set up a TV and watch it during recess. A [very] small crowd gathered to watch the video, and laugh at the Disco Stu’s and The Bum’s of UWC “wrestling” in Scott’s backyard.

We had a following. Approximately 5 apathetic fans.

UWC pay-per-view #3, Unnatural Disaster was happening in late October. It was beginning to get cold outside and the minor hockey season was starting back up soon, so we figured this would be the last pay=per-view until the Spring season.

Joining the roster of UWC were Matthew Tanner as [the punk rock murderer] Misfit, Taylor Daurie as [the native Indian] Chief, and Evan Mosher as [yet another offensive wrestler] Alfred the Retard.

UWC PPV#3: Unnatural Disaster
-Saffire def. Jerry the Jolting Jew
-Misfit def. Fishin' Frank
-Pec Parka def. Johnny Jerk-Off
-Cheif def. Will Bates
-the Bum def. Jim the Janitor
-Brocus def. Alfred the Retard
-Johnny Jerk-Off def. Morbid

Three ppv’s in the bag, and we were in hiatus for the Winter… lame. It was back to another tour of duty with the Lunenburg Falcons.



Jump ahead a few months…

Shortly into 1999, my fellow Lunenburg Falcon, UWC founder and dear friend, Scott Bailey, had begun hanging out with classmate Mike Nauss, who ran a Tom Green fan site. Mike had used his tech skills to start an internet-based radio show called Brew Crew Radio, in which himself, Scott, Jeff Rodenhizer, and Corey Morash would discuss certain non-relevant topics, prank phone call innocent civilians, and call kids at school fat.

It was one of the first podcasts on the internet. And I wanted in on this barbaric ritual.

I demanded Scott hand over Mike’s email, and next weekend I was taking part in Brew Crew Radio’s Episode #3. I was horrendously nervous (mic fright?), and I contributed absolutely shit-all.

I was really down on myself and I wanted to go back to backyard wrestling. My venture into internet-radio was a failure. Luckily, Brew Crew Radio only lasted one more episode before being innovated. The innovation, would be the addition of video taped segments to the website. There was hope!

The now defunct Brew Crew Radio, was now known as Brew Crew Productions.


This was something I could potentially sink some teeth into…

GlenJM.com Archives Deluxe

I am planning on revamping GlenJM.com at some point over the Christmas break. I decided that since I have developed such an intense relationship with this blog I have hear, that GlenJM.blogspot.com will become your primary source for everything Glen J. Matthews. Kapiche?

Therefore, the News-Feed on GlenJM.com will be abolished, and the website will be tidied-up for easier access to the website's information.

Thus alas therefore continuing, I present three months of Archives for archiving sakes...

Treevenge & More!
November 12th, 2007
I am going to be featured in Jason Eisener's next short film tentatively titled "Treevenge". I will be shooting during December. This is my third project with Eisener (Streets of Domination, Hobo With a Shotgun, and now Treevenge). The film will be produced by Yer Dead Inc.

Congrats to Eisener, who has been named 2007's Best Independant Filmmaker in Halifax by The Coast. Check out the article here or in The Coast.

WEBSITE UPDATE: I think the next update will showcase a new format for the website. Stay tuned!

For now, keep checking out my blog for my tour with Neptune Theatre's Young Company @ GlenJM.blogspot.com.


On the Road with Neptune Young Company
October 5th, 2007
Last week, I began touring the Maritimes as a member of the 28th Neptune Theatre Young Company tour. The tour will take me to all corners of the Maritimes in the next 4 months as I (and my fellow cast-mates Kim Parkhill, Adam Bayne, Gillian Ferrier & Stage Manager Darcy "Cockshirt" Lindzon) present Liars & Bump in the Night to schools all over.

So far, so friggin' good. The tour has been an absolute blast and has been getting some positive feedback. I have started a blog dedicated to the tour "Glen Matthews: Actor/World Traveler EXCITEMENT Blog!" @ GlenJM.blogspot.com Check it out and follow my progress as a rockstar for children!



Script in Development w/ John Davies
October 5th, 2007
I am thrilled to announce that I have recently began working on a script for a short film with John Davies that he will direct and I will be featured in. John is the writer/producer of both Hobo With a Shotgun & Streets of Domination and the director of Moving Day (featured in the 2007 Atlantic Film Festival). We are planning to begin shooting in January. Should be good.


'Top Dog' at the 27th Atlantic Film Festival
September 5th, 2007
Evan Elliot's "The Top Dog" (starring my lovely self) will be featured in the 27th Atlantic Film Festival as part of Atlantic Shorts II, Monday September 17th at 9:20, a night showcasing short films produced locally. The event will be happening at Empire 8 Park Lane Cinemas 5657 Spring Garden Road.

When Russell's parents get a new dog, his comfortable dead-end life of couch surfing, home cooking and free laundry service takes a turn for the worse.

Click here to buy tickets to Atlantic Shorts II at the AFF.



'Phone Whores' at Salon de Refuse Atlantique '07
September 5th, 2007
The premiere of "Phone Whores", a film I was featured in last year, is going to be part of the 7th Annual Salon de Refuse Atlantique (a festival of films that were rejected by the AFF). In the film, I played a call centre employee named Duncan who suffers from a certain 'sexual retardation'.

The evening will include 3 other short films and will be held at the Khyber Club (1588 Barrington St.) at 7pm to 10pm. Tickets are available at the door for $6. 19+.


'JOG or DIE'
September 5th, 2007
I have released my newest masterpiece, Jog or Die, a short film featuring a man (played by myself) who goes for a leisurely jog around the block to get away from it all. Little does he know that blood, revenge and bloody-revenge are just around the corner. Written, directed & edited by myself and Produced by Ryan Creaser. Watch it on YouTube here.




'Tough!' at the 17th Atlantic Fringe Festival
August 22nd, 2007
Along with being in the 27th Atlantic Film Festival, I am also taking part in the 17th Atlantic Fringe Festival. I will be in 'Tough!', a play by George F.Walker. The show will feature Kristin Slaney as Tina, myself as Bobby, and Jessica Barry as Jill with Gina Thornhill directing and Meghan Hubley stage managing.

"Boy meets girl. Boy and girl date. Girl gets pregnant... Now what?"

The shows are
Saturday, September 1st at 4:00pm
Friday, September 7th at 8:15pm
Saturday, September 8th at 9:45pm
& Sunday, September 9th at 3:45pm

All of the performances will be at the Khyber Club (1588 Barrington St) Turret Room on the third floor. Tickets are 6 dollars. Come check it out and support some independant theatre. Call 902-221-7579 for tickets!

If you have any other questions, check out the 'Tough' FaceBook Event.



27th Atlantic Film Festival
August 16th, 2007
One of the films I have worked on in the past year has been accepted into the 27th Atlantic Film Festival (to be held September 13-22). I am not alllowed the say what movie it is until August 31st, when the festival program and schedule is released. In the mean time check out the website for the 27th Atlantic Film Festival.


Neptune Theatre's Young Company
July 15th, 2007
I have been added to the cast of Neptune Theatre's Young Company, which is going into it's 27th season of touring. We will be travelling the Maritimes starting this September for 11 weeks, and putting on plays (either Liars by Dennis Foon, or Bump In the Night by Luke Brown) for elementary, junior high and high schools. The shows will be directed by my Pre-Professional Training Program instructor Samantha Wilson. More info available at the Neptune Young Company website.


Wrapped for Streets of Domination
July 15th, 2007
I am officially wrapped for Streets of Domination; 11 months after I began working on Jason Eisener and John Davies' first feature film, I am done principal photography. Jason and John, I really can't believe I didn't witness someone lose a limb working on this film. I'm working on my 3rd Streets Set Visit so stick around for that. Streets of Domination is set for an October 2007 premiere.


Jog Or Die
July 15th, 2007
Last week during my vacation I was hard at work, filming my next short film, Jog Or Die. Myself and Ryan Creaser started the film back during Christmas but due to inclement weather (and us hating the cold), filming was put off until last week. We still have one more scene to film and then it will be yours for the viewing! You can expect that late in August.


Endure 2012
July 15th, 2007
I completed work on the pilot episode of Mike Nauss' (Garden Hoe Productions) Endure 2012. The pilot will air courtesy the internet this fall and a website for the show will be launched soon.
Q: why should you bring AN extra pair of pants when you golf???... A: IN case you get a hole in ONE!!11




Welcome!
July 2nd, 2007
Welcome ladies and gents to the brand-new/re-launched glenmatthews.tk! Have a look around, everything has been re-designed and put into a tiny little package for your convinience. Have a look around! One love.

Parker Porkham, Supernatural Detective
July 2nd, 2007
I just completed an episode for the upcoming internet-based show Parker Porkham written and directed by Sam Fisher (Silver Leaf Productions). In the episode, I play twin scientists Dr. Jules & Dr. Verne who have a science experiment go horrendously wrong. The show will air this Fall.

Streets of Domination update
July 2nd, 2007
This weekend I am set to shoot my final scenes for Jason Eisener's first feature film, Streets of Domination. I have some behind-the-scenes footage compiled and I hope to get more this weekend to complete my 3rd Streets Set Visit. In the mean time, check out the first & second set visits shot by myself.

Endure 2012
July 2nd, 2007
Next week, I am heading home to Lunenburg for my vacation, and during my time home I will be working with Mike Nauss (Garden Hoe Productions) on his new show Endure 2012. The show will be a huge mixture of animation, green screen, and live-action. Fun.
Q: what's the friendliest schooL???... A: "Hi" school!!!

Building the GlenJMpire: Chapter One.

CHAPTER ZERO:
PROLOGUE

Brilliant?

…or self-indulgent?

I have no idea what this portion of my blog will become. I hope a mix of both. But most of all, I hope it will entertain, and enlighten the masses as to how the hell Glen Matthews became the entertainer he is today. He will also try to keep talking in the third person to a minimum.

The primary purpose of “Building the GlenJMpire” for me, is to figure out how I got to where I’m at today, by having a look back at every step along the way. In other words, I am very forgetful.

I believe it was Winston Churchill who said “History is written by the victors.”, I don’t know if I’m a victor per say, but I do have a blog. So let’s get started.



CHAPTER ONE:
“BACKYARD WRASSLIN'”
June 1998 to September 1998

The year is 1998. I am 13 years old. The Detroit Red Wings have won their second Stanley Cup in a row, Charlton Heston has just been announced as the President of the NRA, and the mass media has made me fear blowjobs and blue dresses...



It was July, which meant two things, no school, and no hockey, so I spent my time with my dear friends Scott Bailey & Daniel Moore biking around Lunenburg County, watching professional wrestling, sneaking into the Oven’s Campground swimming pool, and pretending to like the taste of beer. It was our final Summer before being forced into the Junior High School system at Centre Consolidated Junior High.

One particularly sunny Friday, I biked over to Scott’s and we played WWF Warzone on his Nintendo 64 until it was time for some grilled-cheese snacks. During the feast, Scott’s Mother asked if he had shown me the camera yet. I stared in awe as Scott hauled out this monster of a VHS Camcorder (something you would get a gun pointed at you for carrying to a border-crossing).

10 minutes later we were in his backyard with his coach pillows laid out and the camera on a tripod filming us “performing” powerbombs, piledrivers, DDT’s, clotheslines, Russian leg sweeps, Stone Cold stunners, Rock Bottoms, & Pedigrees. Who needs video games when you can do it yourself?



That night, we wrote the words “Low Budget Productions” on a piece of cardboard and proceeded to film our first film “The Blonde Bitch Project”, in which a teenaged blonde girl (played by Scott Bailey) is abandoned by her friends whilst camping and she gets raped by a demon… I don’t know why, but there was something irresistibly funny about demon-rape at the age of 13.

Up next, we sat down, and wrote the words “Ultimate Wrestling Championship” on another piece of cardboard and started creating a roster of talent. Due to a lack of friends who shared our passion for pro wrestling, we determined that we would each have to create a few personas each.


My first creation was a wrestler/disco dance freak named Disco Stu, followed by “The Slovakian Sensation” Brocus, and Peter “Don’t Make Me Laugh” Bruin. Scott followed by creating the mysterious Wolfgang Stone, the stereotypical Fisherman Frank, and the offensive Jerry “The Jolting” Jew.

The Slovak, Brocus

Fishin' Frank

The Bum

Peter Bruin (note: the Bruins jersey)

The next morning we had a few friends over and convinced them to join “Lunenburg County’s brand-new backyard wrestling organization”: UWC! Another beautiful day in Feltzen South permitted us to have our very first Pay-Per-View (and no, no one ever paid to view us).

Glen Matthews circa 1998 (note the jean shorts)

We rolled around in the backyard and took turns wrestling, operating the camera, operating the CD player and being the referee, and [three hours later] when the final bell rang, it ended just like it all started: we all went inside to chow down on a fuck-load of grilled-cheese sandwiches and watch ourselves up on the “big screen”. It was fantastic, hilarious, inspiring and ferociously embarrassing all at once.

HARDCORE!!!11!

It was this moment, whilst snacking that I determined that I was undoubtedly going to be a professional wrestler someday.

I knew this was something that I wanted to keep going, and to keep it going,, I was going to need friends. All of a sudden, I was a lot more willing to join Centre Consolidated Junior High…

The Landlord With an Addiction to Eviction!

Attention Span TV
Episode 6
Featuring my damned self as a Landlord with an addiction to eviction. The skit (written & directed by Matt Chisholm) is cut up into a few different parts of the episode so make sure to watch the entire episode. Check it...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBCMN1Y8fgU

Written & Directed by Matt Chisholm
Director of Photography, Colin Duann
Lighting by Liza Herbert
Sound by Crystal Porter
Grip, Brandon Murphy

Attention Span TV & Treevenge Pre-Production

ATTENTION-SPAN TV
SET REPORT

I spent my past Saturday evening with the crew of Attention Span TV, an internet-based series (@ http://www.Attention-Span.tv), featuring skits created on a weekly basis by the students of the Centre For Arts & Technology.
We were shooting the tentatively titled “The Landlord”. In it, I play Larry, a landlord with an addiction to eviction. I am one BAMF.

Kristin Slaney (with whom I am romantically linked to in RL) took part in the shoot playing a pregnant lady (whom we affectionately titled ‘Prego’). This was Ms. Slaney’s 4th time in her young acting career playing a pregnant woman. The theatre gods are trying to tell you something, Kristin… stay the fuck away from me.

Kristin Slaney (Prego) being touched by Crystal Porter (Claire).

Myself pictured with Attention Span TV executive producer and director of “The Landlord”, the 6 foot 3, Matt Chisholm.

Herbal cigarettes. The most badass of all.

The final shots shortly before wrapping things up at 3:30am.

“The Landlord” will be included in this Friday’s (December 7) episode #7 of Attention Span TV over @ http://ww.w.Attention-Span.tv.

Thanks to the crew (Matt Chisholm, Colin Duann, Liza Herbert, B-Roll) having me out Saturday night. Also, thanks to my girlfriend, Kristin for letting me make jokes about pushing you down a flight of stairs if you were actually pregnant.



TREEVENGE
PRE-PRODUCTION

Sunday morning, myself and Kristin had to head to the North End to have our heads molded for Jason Eisener’s upcoming short film “Treevenge” (tentative title), in which we play a young, sexy, promiscuous couple.

Our heads were being molded by Lindsay Thorne for some heavy duty special effects which will occur in January when we shoot our scenes.

Kristin was up first…






Kristin had a little freak-out attack so I was forced to hold her hand...

…What a pussy.

FINAL PRODUCT!

Yours truly was up next...

Myself as “Darkman”.

FINAL PRODUCT!

Later on Sunday evening, I got a message from Lindsay showing me the early stages of my special effects head…

Soooo effing bizarre. Ha.

Treevenge is currently shooting, and is looking like a Christmas 2008 (yes, 2008) release. The film is written and directed by Jason Eisener (Hobo With a Shotgun, Streets of Domination), executively produced be Rob Cotterill (Trailer Park Boys), and produced by Sarah Dunsworth (Trailer Park Boys).

You dig?