In October of last year, I worked on a movie which was code-named Boise. This movie carries a very important distinction in my career history: it’s the first lead I’ve had in ages, and it’s the first movie I’ve done since deciding to focus more on writing and my family than acting and the hollow pursuit of fame. It was very strange, but not unwelcome, when I dug my actor pants out from under the bed and put them back on. Initially, they weren’t very comfortable, but they did feel familiar, and when I got used to them again, I decided that I’d never be able to fully take them off — I feel incredibly naked without them.
Wow. That was an extended metaphor from hell.
Anyway, I was really happy with the work I did. My satisfaction on the set, was matched by the joy and satisfaction I took in writing about my experiences on the set each day. Everyone who reads this lame website has been so supportive, and ridden the violent ups and downs with me for so long . . . I felt like something good had finally happened, and I really enjoyed sharing those experiences with you. (If you want to relive it, follow that link, and click the >> to get to the next day’s entry.)
Tomorrow night, the movie will air on the PAX network, and we get to see if the work I did on the set translates to the screen.
Before one of my projects is released, I’m always apprehensive — I feel unsure about how the music is going to play, how the director cut the scenes together, things like that. I also feel apprehensive about my performance. Will the audience see what I intended? Will I get caught “acting?” I don’t feel all that apprehensive about this project, which is surprising and rewarding. I feel very confident in the work I did on the day. I’m sure I’ll find things in my performance that I don’t like, and I bet many of the things I find will be found only by me. Some people say that I’m ripping myself off when I do that, but if I don’t look for those flaws, I never improve.
My gut feeling on this film is that it’s going to be pretty good. It’s not going to be spectacular –there’s some badly written courtroom drama in the middle, where I think it really slows down — but I think audiences will enjoy it.
They’re calling it The Book of Days. Check your local listings for details.
192 thoughts on “The Book of Days”
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Why the name change???
You RAWK !! WIL WHEATON!!!
I’m there Wil! I’ve been waiting!
Hot Dawg!! now if I can just figure out how to rewire my vcr to actually record…
I don’t get PAX in Canada – and we have a satelite service. Perhaps another channel will carry it… I’m sure you’ll RAWK! (to echo someone before me). And you’re so right about learning from your own mistakes – to presume otherwise would be mighty arrogant of us.
Hey, 4th post!
Wil, I’m gonna be sure to get someone to record it for me, and I’m looking forward to seeing you in your “actor pants” again. I understand how you feel. For me it’s the rush I get after doing a great show. It’s better than any drug.
Peace,
Scott M
So, if your actor pants are not fully on, but not fully off, does this mean the crotch is like two inches from the ground. God how I hate that style. How do you reach your wallet?
Anyhow, good show Wil! If I had TV hookup (which I did away with about six years ago) I would watch the movie.
Best of luck in future endeavours. Just another geek cheering for you from the sidelines.
I will most definately check it out! Can’t Wait!!
I am so psyched about seeing you in this movie!!! It sounds like you had fun & that probably means people will have fun watching you in it. I’ll definitely be watching!
🙂 ellen
Only for you, Wil, would I voluntarily watch PAX TV… 🙂
Wooot! Gonna have to record it…got work until 8:30. *laugh*
For those that live in or around the Seattle area…’Book of Days’ is on at 8pm on PAX (channel 3 for people who have cable).
*dances around, not able to wait*
Wil,
The movie comes on here at 8:00p.m. on PAX. I am looking very foreward to seeing you in the movie. I am sure, as always, you will not disapoint. Best to you and your family Wil.
The Ozzman……
P.S.
Oh I was wondering, I was talking to Bill Shatner over at http://www.williamshatner.com and he was telling me advice on writing. He said you start with 1 line then that becomes 2 and soon you have a paragraph and then you have a page. Was that how it was for you? writing your book or did you have it all pretty much mapped out from the start? Just thought i’d ask. Good luck with it.
hee hee thank you moonie 😀 i was about to look it up myself, but you so kindly saved me the effort 😀
Yea wil!!!
I won’t be able to see it as I live in the country and don’t get cable 🙁 However I am in your corner rooting for ya Wil! I know the movie will get good reviews!
JT
Your worst critic is always yourself. I do (bad) amateur theatre, and everybody tells me how wonderful I was (of course, they aren’t actors). Then I watch the tape and think “Gawd, that was horrible. Wait, that bit was funny. That coulda used more energy…good god, Steve, you’re an actor, not a tree!”
And so on, and so forth.
Hmm… I don’t suppose there’s any word on a Canadian network picking this up to be aired here?
Sometimes we just get these things later
*crosses fingers*
This is one of the few times I miss having cable TV. We have so much that we are interested in doing in life – that sitting in front of the TV falls low on the priority list. Yet, there are times that it would be cool. I miss little things like The Simpsons, Discovery Channel, PBS, etc. I’ve heard there is an Indie Film Channel, that would be cool. I’m sorry I’m going to miss seeing The Book of Days… maybe I can get someone to record it for me. There – there’s an idea. 😉
Congratulations!
~Janece
Yay!… I get PAX… but… but… John Doe comes on at 9…damn it! Hmmm…. looks like I’m gonna miss an episode of JD 🙂 I need to get a Tivo. Anyway, I read the synopsis and it looks like a cool story…looking forward to seeing you in action tomorrow night.
Peace
800 flippin’ channels, not one of them PAX…
Grumble…
Do Pax movies ever make it to video/dvd?
You may have a book worm virus that is sentient, it likes you naked with out your actors clothes on, Follow the little voice of the Book Worm and the 50,000 monkeys with typerwriters will follow and serve you the rest of your life.
Ah, this is great, i’m so stoked. i’ll definatly be watching and *prepare for the lamest joke ever*
I’ll set my VCR to stun…er…record…
*at least i gave you preperation time?*
love you man!
Wil,
Gotta hand it to you for livin’ life “out there” in front of us all. Sharing your thoughts about your work, how it’s perceived, etc. You’ve been there and done that and it’s interesting to read about.
I was thinking as I read your latest entry that we’ve all gotten very used to coming here and reading these thoughtful, sometimes humorous, sometimes sad or worrisome, sometimes provocative things from you. I’d miss having that and I’m glad you do it.
FWIW, on your thoughts about I, Robot: as a writer I try out for different projects. Some of them I get; some I don’t. As I work on a project, I go through a lot of angst about the work — is it accurate? Is it well-written? Can I do it better?
Then, after it’s published, I almost hate to read it because I’m afraid I’ll see something that I could have done better — but it’s published; set in stone; can’t be changed.
That’s what keeps us sharp in our respective professions. I admire acting ability; I think I might have it in myself to be an actor, but I’m afraid to try — and right now I’m busy as a writer. But, maybe one of these times I’ll try the acting route. And ya know what? I’ll have those “self criticism” skills honed to a fine art by my experiences as a writer!
😉
So, keep on keepin’ on Wil. We’re with ya all the way!
TiVo is set to nab it. 🙂
Rock on, Wil!
me
Cool. Too bad I will not get to see it because I have no TV. Perhaps someone can digitize it for those of us who are TV impaired? Or maybe it will get released at blockbuster next to the Dune, V, and Merlin MiniSeries 🙂
Can’t get PAX here in Baltimore, really want to see the movie, too.
It’s up against a really kick-ass block of TNG on TNN. (“Starship Mine”? Rocks.)
Must see if I can get my friends to tape it for me (alas, I am without cable) without sounding like a dork for wanting to tape something on Pax.
I’m looking forward to seeing it! I have it scheduled and timed on my palm pilot. 🙂
ARGH! my friends get PAX but they are so clueless about machines I doubt if they’ll be able to get thier VCR to record the movie. They are so clueless I had to go to thier house to program thier fancy new 5-disk CD player, I couldn’t figure out why they would bother to buy one with all those bells and whistles when I know they’ll never know how to work it.
Woo!
Go Wil!!
*waves flag*
We know not of this “PAX” of which you speak here in merry old Ingerland but it sounds like it’s going to be good.
We have faith. So does your gut apparently.
What a clever intestinal tract you have…
*sigh*
If only I could see it here in Merrie England.
🙁
I can’t wait to see the movie. Unfortunatly I have to work all night, but the VCR is set and ready to catch it.
I am positive you did a bang up job Wil, congrats!
TiVo, Baby! Here’s something neat-TiVo selected it as a ‘Best Bet’ on my machine, and it would have been recorded anyways, even if I didn’t already set it to record. Pretty cool, huh?
TiVo also suggested other movies and shows with you in them. Too damn cool. Even the little black box likes Wil!
Television: $150.00
Cable: $32.00/month
Comfy Sofa: $500.00
Getting to watch Wil on PAX: PRICELESS!
I agree, it would take the force of Wil Wheaton to make me WANT to sit down and watch something on PAX…
On a side note, has anyone else ever noticed that like, 9 times out of 10 when you surf through PAX it’s someone getting their ass kicked? I mean, isn’t this a little weird for a network who’s name means “peace.”
I’ve read a few blips about “Days,” and I’m stoked on seeing it!
Point of interest-Corey Feldman was in Santa Cruz, CA, on Saturday sitting in front of a small movie theater. They were showing “Goonies” and he was charging people $20 to come talk to him and get his autograph. We walked by and gawked for a wee bit, but it was all too sad. Killer movie, though. Ah, well.
hm. ‘pants’ and ‘writing’ in one entry.
secret message, anyone?
Okay, someone tape it and send some copies north of the boarder.
I read about it enough, I’ve GOT to see it.
Here’s hoping my sister’s friend really does get Pax…. If she does, SpaceCadet, then it would appear that you *can* get Pax in Canada…
*fingers crossed*
Em
I invented pants.
Creation is a strange critter….you never really let go of it, and you never really stop wanting to fix, alter, change, or try to make it better, even when it’s out of your hands. Hell, George Lucas was still working on Star Wars 20 years after the bloody thing hit the screens.
I’m gonna find it, and watch it….thanks for the heads-up. I’ve always enjoyed your work, and you wear the actors pants well, my friend. Take care.
LOL @ the actors pants! :p
We don’t watch PAX normally, usually because it is 90% infommercials but this movie does sound extremely interesting.
Me and the Hubby will definately be watching PAX tommorow night. 😉
After enjoying your website for several weeks I just couldn’t not post to wish you great raves on your Pax TV project. I’ll try to search on my online guide to make sure I view it. Best to you.
don’t think i’ll be able to see it up here in toronto ……but I’ll be looking in here later tonight to see if any of the posse have some reviews…
hint hint!
seriously gang…if any of ya see the movie tonight, come back here and let us unfortunates know how it was….
kay?
cool.
see ya then!
ty
I allready had it programmed in the tv. I’m sure you did great and I can’t wait to see it. Well I guess I can wait because I have no choice in the matter but I’d rather not wait. Anyway… I’m rambling now. Yay, Wil is gonna be on tv!
We’ll Be Watching To See You Shine!!!
Where’s the monkey who’s going to tape it for those of us that can’t get PAX?
I wanna see my Uncle Willie!
I can’t believe it. Not a single troll has posted a “Book of Daze” remark yet.
Given the poor reception I get on the PAX channel here, it will be like reliving the snowy, pre cable tv of my childhood.
Way to go, Uncle Willy! I will try and watch
yo’ gaw-juus mug tomorrow night on PAX!
Thanx for letting us “monkeys” know when to
tune in. 😀
Wish I had Pax. You’ll be great. I also have to say thanks, for sharing with us.
I have checked up and down…and round and round on my tv listings and I am figuring that Canada will get that movie after the fact. :S Oh well. Anybody willing to record it and sell it to the canadians?? Wil… Help?
VCR set, friends told, wishing like hell there was no such thing as commercials and the freaking movie would be break-free………
It really does sound interesting, not just “oooo wil’s going to be in a movie, must watch *drool*”. Ya know what I mean.