Boy oh boy.
We really did this. And I have many words to say, so this is going to be a very long post.
Also we’re now fundraising for post-production so if these photos make you feel inclined 
Email me at gracedragonproductions@gmail.com.
The Cast and Crew of Blood and Sex Over Ambition with EP Norman Buckley
And now, for some words after the fact.
Everything about this production was a miracle, impossible. But let’s go back for a sec.
In July of 2022, I was lucky enough to visit Provence with my family to celebrate my parent’s anniversary.
We went to Arles, and while seated in the car, before we even stepped out, my father read to us about the city and meaningful things that happened there.
That’s when I learned Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin roomed together, for two months. Then Gauguin left a day after Van Gogh’s famous ear-cutting breakdown. It was giving cause and effect, it was giving gay drama.
The ability to travel is a privilege, and one that I found incredibly helpful to me as an artist.
I got home and started researching this explosive relationship. By all accounts, the roommateship started very well, until that fateful day. To this day, no one really know what transpired between the two.
I read many letters from the period before Gauguin moved in, to about a year after he left.
Vincent Colasurdo as Paul Gauguin and Bryan Mittelstadt as Vincent Van Gogh
And so the script for Blood and Sex Over Ambition was born. A retelling of that relationship, through a queer lens. If this sounds far-fetched to you, you should read them letters.
It was an ambitious script, and I believe the first one to officially join me on this journey was the lovely, and talented, god bless her heart, Keaton Morris-Stan.
Then, Gregory Kasunich completed our trifecta, coming on as a director fresh off working on The Heart of Texas, which had, and still has, an insane, successful, Oscar-long-listing festival run.
This artistic back and forth about the script lasted until… well, until this very moment. I mean, I did rewrites for the opening of the script on day 2 of the shoot.
I think they worried about my reaction to rewrites, but often, I just needed time to absorb and think, so that I can do what I thought was best, with their feedback in mind, but in a way that sounded like me, not like someone else’s voice. Hard-earned lessons from the past.
And you know what? I loved it. I loved that dance of the minds, the legitimate questions they brought up of “why?” “where” “when” and “how,” and the script we ended up filming was tighter and better for it, now with a greek chorus made of three French whores (I’m sorry, working girls).
Thank you both for being wonderful creative partners, even though you though my resting thinking face is upset-that-you’re-even-talking-to-me face.
Myself, Keaton Morris-Stan and Mei Moor receive directions from Gregory Kasunich on set
I’d like to thank our cast and crew, they are all incredible and patient beyond belief. This was an insanely ambitious production, words aren’t enough to explain just how much, and that was before a storm both in NYC and in TX stranded us for an extra day and a half, added additional unpredictable expenses, and cost us what little time we had for scouting, basically making a VERY tight 3-days schedule even tighter. Thank god for this group of badasses.
There are a few people in Waco whom I want to highlight especially.
First and foremost, the production’s, MVP. Lori Davidson.
She came on board as an EP by providing 11 out-of-towners with free lodging (!!!), including by welcoming us into her own home. But if that wasn’t enough, she was also our production designer. It was her first time filling this role, and as both an interior-design extraordinaire and a history lover, she knocked it out of the park. Honestly, no amount of thanks is enough.
Because no matter how many times I told her “stop it, don’t worry about me,” she pushed a tea go-cup into my hands in the mornings, drove us all to set in the trolley, did insane amount of pick-ups (including getting all of us from DFW to Waco with a Buc-ees stop, and back to DFW after wrap), got us a free generator when we were losing our minds, and as agreed by all, she’s both an angel on earth and Our Lady Saint Lori of Waco.
Then there’s team Waco Indie , both as a unit and as individuals, Louis and Sam. Louis did location scouts for us ahead of time when we couldn’t. He connected us with local filmmakers, and stepped in as on-set BTS photographer when we had a cancellation. He also offered to cook for us (which I turned down because, Louis, enough!) Right this very moment he’s also cutting checks for me.
Sam did something equally crazy when Gabe, our DP, ended up getting into DFW at 10:30 PM the night before the shoot. He drove Gabe to Waco. I believe they arrived around 1 AM, with an insane amount of gear Gabe brought with him from LA. Sam, you’re crazy, Thank you.
They also posted on the Waco Indie account for us, which is how we found, very last moment, the rest of our camera and G&E peeps.
Fiona Bond – director of Creative Waco. Not only did we receive a grant from them which was monumental to our effort, Fiona donated props, came to visit us on set, helped in so many ways great and small, including carrying an old bed out of the trolley and into Vincent’s “asylum room” all by herself.
To wrap this list of friends representing the amazing Waco artistic community, is Rachel Carothers. While no longer Waco- based, she did drive like, what? 17 hours? from Colorado to be our stunt and intimacy coordinator and she’s amazing, and always ready. Sensitive, attuned, with a Marry Poppins bag that helped every single department. She also did pick-ups and drop-offs. And she was also called upon to do some BG work.
There’s a reason why we love this community so much, they champion us and support us and they’re just golden people. I truly cherish you all.
On the local front I also want to thank Erik at Historic Waco. The East Terrace Museum was our hero location, and Erik was a dream to work with, allowing us the period aspect of this period piece.
Also the team at the Carleen Bright Arboretum, another dream location which allowed us some stunning exteriors for our fake Sothern France.
Local artists from the Waco area worked on the paintings, making sure that rather than cheap prints we have actual stunning brush strokes and authentic looking paintings. Thank you: Will Suarez, Julie Cervantest, Ema Sweetz, and special thanks to Cade Kegerreis.
Victor Colasurdo as Paul Gauguin on set
Final local shoutout to Kandice who came to help with some BTS, and everyone who visited set or helped in any way!
And here comes our cast and crew, which, wow wow wow!
Writer/procude/cast: Yours truly.
Director: Greg JM Kasunich. I already raved about him earlier. He tried to quit once, I said no, and no one could’ve made this film the way he did, which is – stunning, and so visually rich.
Producer/cast: Keaton Morris-Stan – I also raved about her already earlier. Another victim of American Airlines, landed and arrived at Waco halfway through day 1 of filming, and jumped right in, all the while also prepping to act in this thing.
DP: Gabe Kimpson – we don’t know who wins the “Most Miserable BASOA Travel Story” competition. It’s Gabe and myself in the lead. He had to change airports, he arrived at the lodging in the AMs of the night before the shoot, and for the next three days shot the most beautiful scenes. Thank you so much for braving the storm, quite literally, and giving up personal comfort so you can make it on time, and deliver us these wonderful visuals.
Vincent Van Gogh: Bryan Mittelstadt – It might not shock you that Bryan portrayed Van Gogh before, but you’ve never seen him like this. The highest of highs, the lowest of lows, with performances that blew us away time and again, and with another gig lined up a day after wrap. Brace yourselves for this performance.
Paul Gauguin: Victor Colasurdo – our trooper who spent almost 24 hours with me at LGA. That was the first time we met in-person. He was a loyal bag watcher, especially when I disappeared into bookstores at all airports for A WHILE. He was also a truly magnificent Gauguin, giving a nuanced portrayal to an exceptionally complex character. Seriously, just you wait. You are not ready for this pair of actors.
1st/2nd/who even knows AD: Charles Featherson, thanks for much needed dry humor on set. Endless runs, constantly stepping-up when suddenly our AD was stranded, or when HMU got stuck with no car, or when chairs had to be dropped off a day after production. Guys, I don’t even know just how much Charles actually did, I just know it’s way more than was reported to me. You tell him what you need, he finds a way!
1st AC: Eugene Hawkins – thank the heavens that you reached out, a week before the shoot, and introduced us your team. Patient, kind, eager to get the best possible result, and with a 6 AM call time the day after we wrapped. Thank you for coming to play with us.
2nd AC: Larry Wright – thank you for gorgeous BTS photos, for quietly being there whenever needed, working quickly, helping this insane machine run smoothly, even with things that were beyond your role. Whenever I looked, you were always there with a smile, and that is so very important in a tense work environment.
Gaffer: Johnny Ortega – pretends to be an asshole, actually a total cinnamon roll of a human. Thank you for keeping spirits up with even more dry humor and lovely benceh conversations. So sorry about your weird allergy. Hope you ate something!
Key Grip: Will Fritz – on day 3 I just told Will he’s also going to be BG. Thanks for saying yes to wearing shoes 2 sizes too small for you so we can get what we needed, and thanks for hiding your hair because from the back one would think you’re Van Gogh. We appreciate you playing in the mud with us!
Sound: Sarah Church – 2nd time working with Sarah! Inherited her from But I’m a Shoe. Not only is she good at what she does, she’s low-key a hype-woman. She only goes online once every 6 months though, so she might never see this and never know I appreciate her a ton. So glad to work together again! 
PA: Ashlyn Kennedy Oh boy. I threw so much at Ashlyn, before we even arrived. “I might need you to go to Dallas”, “no wait, Austin actually”, “no, wait, never mind!” Zero complains, always sweet, always checking in, thank you thank you!
HMU/VFX: Meredith Reeves – What a thing to walk into wardrobe and find her sitting on the ground sculpting an ear, or into the bathroom to see her mixing cocoa powder for… reasons. Thank you Meredith! Who was ALSO lured in to do some pick-ups even though she was in a car accident on day 1 of production!
PA/Stylist/Cast/whatever: Mei Moor – bestie really did say “sure, I’ll take a week off from my life to come and help you, and fly myself there, and be a stylist, and sure if there’s no more lodging we can share a bed, and sure, you need another French whore? Cool.” Need I say more??? Thanks for joining me and Keaton’s girl band and thanks for being there. 
Mei, Keaton and myself on set, hor(s)ing around
Script supervisor: Taylor Coriell is a very capable genius and a glorious nerd. She’ll be mad at me for saying it was her first scripty gig, but you must understand, this film alone can be her portfolio. It was so hard, and she was SO good, I will take her anywhere she’s willing to go from now on. Funny, sharp, and with a crazy attention to details! Hire her right this second!!!
Intimacy/Fight coordinator: Rachel Carothers who I already raved about so much! She was also on coat patrol on the final day and worked with me and Keaton through a last minute stunt so that we don’t break anything which we loved!
I’d also like to thank our EPs. We’re lucky to have multiple, and I’d want to list them all, as they deserve it.
First and foremost, Inwood Art Works. They essentially launched this production by giving us our first funds through their production grant. You made me think I could actually raise the rest to make this happen. X
Malcolm Thomson, Shai Korman, Alan Greenstein, John Abrams, David Kenner and Michelle Matland who also served as the head of costumes and let us dig through their huge wardrobe storage, Dana Suslovich Rabl- 30 years and counting, John B. Donovan, Norman Buckley, of course, who visited us on set to our great delight, and last but not least, the incredible people of Creative Wacofor their very generous grant. You keep supporting my work and the work of so many who choose Waco as our playground. Thank you.
With EP Norman Buckley on set
And even though it’s not the Oscars, I want to thank my faves, my family, always EPs by default, and when I said “please don’t text me this week unless it’s important” they respected it at least 95% of the time!
Much much love, can’t wait to share this one with you. It is very special.
