Taking a break from my usual blogging about cast members and characters to look at something altogether different.

When the transition from script to screen was definite, the need arose to stock our dorks’ lives with nerd gear.  A couple of production/creative relationships emerged.  One of these was with Li’l Depressed Boy — a story about a guy who has a hard time talking to girls, but trying to find love regardless.

At the time of shooting, Li’l Depressed Boy was a webcomic by S. Steven Struble, and mentioned by characters as such.

Over the course of the shooting,  Struble (and artist Sina Grace) put out a first 1st issue of Li’l Depressed Boy independently. something independent filmmakers can, of course, appreciate.  An actual physical copy of that may have snuck into the shooting to be caught by attentive movie watchers.

Now that we’ve wrapped on the post process, Li’l Depressed Boy has come out in comic book form from Image Comics.

To see the role that Li’l Depressed Boy plays in DORKS, you’ll have to check out the movie.

To hold your own copy of Li’l Depressed Boy in your hands, you need only check out a local comic book shop.  Issue #1 came out on February 9th and sold out.  But don’t fret, as this week, there’s a reprint of issue number one which features an all new cover and homage to one of my personal favorite movies.

Never underestimate the power of name recognition. 

When I call back home to say I’m working on a movie, I often get “who?” (They don’t even remember me!  The nerve!)

When I call back home and say I’m working on a movie with Jim Belushi, people get excited… and start to remember *my* name.

For the character of Bronko, we needed to find a football-loving, manly everyman and archetypal father.  So yeah… the part was written for Belushi.  I’m a long-time fan of his work, so it was a special treat to have him involved and see him on set. (and being so much the dork, didn’t ask him a thing about personal faves like Wild Palms and Mr. Destiny…)

Even with that aforementioned name recognition, Belushi was friendly and willing to talk to anyone on the production, top to bottom and, like any sports fan, he knows the importance of teamwork.  Ditka would be proud.

Far As Hell’s song “Finally Here” is the winner of The Secret Lives of Dorks MUSIC CONTEST!

Click the player above to listen to the song. We’re so excited to have this in the film. It’s written by Graham Guldstrand and performed by Far As Hell, check it out!

We also want to say thank you to all the bands and individuals who submitted songs. It was great to hear so much new original music and we’re glad you’re excited about our film.

...and we’re going to announce who it is shortly, so check back soon to see who won and hear their song!

The Two Ways to Succeed in Hollywood:

1. Be related to someone who is already in Hollywood.
2. Show up and be awesome.

If you’re already born and it doesn’t apply, the first path is unavailable to you.  You should know, though…  All the cool kids use way number two…

…and by cool, I mean dorky.

Our Samantha came to us through our read through.  For those outside of the “industry” (and yes, I even type that with air quotes), a read through takes the screenplay in its current form and runs it through its paces as actual actors read the characters.  The creatives (producer, director, writers) listen to see if it’s firing on all cylinders.  This works as a great way to lift the characters off the page and make them real.  It also helps to spot any inconsistencies or points that plum well don’t work.  No one made the character more real than Vanessa Marano reading Samantha.  In fact, she sold all the creatives with her read through.  She showed up and was awesome.  (She was also prepared and made specific character choices.)

Vanessa is a funny and wise beyond her years girl.  I have no doubt that most of us will be asking her for a job when she inevitably takes over this town.

I’m going to be honest with you.  I felt cool.  After years of wearing glasses, collecting comic books and generally not getting dates, I was stepping onto the set of a movie I had a hand in.  I therefore felt suitably cool.  Then I meet Gaelan Connell, our “Payton”.  Gaelan sat in the hair and makeup chair as I nervously said “hello”, introduced myself and generally tried to maintain said cool.  I bow, coolly I might add, out of the dance room set up for hair and makeup and am immediately greeted by our director, Salome.

Salome, “What do you do to your hair?”

I go on for a couple seconds about the creamy pomade used and the intricate finger combing technique involved and she drags me by the hand back into hair and makeup.

Salome points to my head and says, “This is what I want for Payton.”

So… the lead dork, the dorkiest of dorks, had his hair modeled after mine.

Maybe not flattering but still… pretty cool.

Gaelan, I should add, is a very smart, dry, wisecracking sort of fellow.  On an altogether different day, in an altogether different hair and makeup room, Gaelan regailed us with his guitar virtuoso-ness, as did our “Clark” – Beau Mirchoff.  I got to know them best on our last day of filming wherein, during a break, we set off in search of the frozen delight, the Choco Taco.  We failed to find the Choco Taco, but Gaelan hipped me to some current tunes and spoke of his own upcoming creative endeavors (I Am Ben).

Dorks everywhere listen up!

As a holiday gift to the many dorks who make music, we have decided to extend our music contest! The entry deadline is now January 5, 2011 and we will announce the winners on January 11th (see the official rules here). So if you haven’t submitted a song already, what are you waiting for?!

Remember to keep checking back to the site for updates and happy holidays!

-The Secret Lives of Dorks