Happy Holidays to our Family, Cast & Crew!

Rebecca and I during our last Color Correcting session for "Death Do Us Part."  Everything has been coming along smoothly.  And a great big hug and a thank you to Eddie Sturgeon who is doing our Sound Design for us!  He has been a real trooper!  Thanks Eddie and Merry Christmas!

Finished with VFX- next up... Sound!

After achieving picture lock we have finally finished our visual effects and prepared the product for sound.  Honestly, I can see now that we had too many visual effects for my first film.  I think it is a good idea to focus on certain goals for each short that you accomplish as a beginning filmmaker and this one had a bit much- not too much for me to chew, necessarily.  That's not what I mean.  I like a challenge.  But, it was more than I had planned for this film.  Especially since my wife would be given (proportionately) too large a bite to chew for an extremely part time job.  She works full time at the Home Shopping Network, so this amount of effects can make even a relatively short film become a huge ordeal to tackle- but she did eagerly.

The film is now ready for Sound Mixing and for any musical accompaniment while we complete the coloring (which is already mostly done).  A few songs may need to be composed but we will see what we can come up with given the right kind of help.

I just have to admit I am very pleased with the pictures here and what we have made from our short production time.  Everybody who really worked hard, Wheat, Joy, Marcus, Pat, John, Mici, Tom, Trevor... we really did something great here.  Pretty soon we will all see what our hard work accomplished.  I will be sure to let you guys know when there is something I can show you!  Until then, know that I am very happy with what we have... and I have seen a lot of local shorts and features.  We have a good chance to make a dent- in fact I am SURE we will.

I'll be keeping you all in the loop!  :)

Skirting the edges of production design

I'm changing my filmmaking strategy this year (you might say).  I am going to be skirting the edge of production design for the sake of ensuring good design on my future sci-fi films.  That might seem like a big change but it's not really big for me- I am doing this to ensure I'm directing a good film.  Getting into production design for me means learning designing and fabricating sets and props. I don't expect to be filling a production designers shoes really but I do expect that expanding my skill set will expand my opportunities and excellence on set- and it will give me a better understanding of what it takes to build some of these props.  It will help me make these goals happen... and more efficiently happen.

The general look of a film is something I've always been concerned with but I specifically had hands on experience while being on set filming "Experiment 7" in 2009.  While working with the Production Designer, Brittany Stevenson, I became involved in depth, as the Script Supervisor/Producer, with helping the look come along by coordinating how the sets and props interact with the characters and maintained their look. Of course with what I was doing as Script Supervisor, the continuity was king, but as it comes to craft, the desire to do production design myself definitely came into play and one of the old desires I had to do industrial design also cropped up.  Yeah, its an old fling I had, like architecture and music... which got subsumed underneath my desire to make films.

For the first sci-film I am working on and for the first feature film I am working on I need to ensure good pleasant aesthetic and functional design so that the audience fully believes the story.  I will be attending welding school for the next year so I can get to creating some genuinely functional steel and aluminum props and possibly I can get some animatronics or robotics involved as well.  If nothing else I can at least help pay for my first few shorts with welding work (which pays more than what I can drum up right now).  So wish me luck on running some good beads on all the types of welders and weldments I need to utilize to complete my tests and get my certifications.  Its gonna be a great adventure!

Canon and Red lining up for the best seats in Hollywood on Nov 3rd

Its funny since my post on RED vs. Canon I thought maybe RED would get the hint and stop trying to compete with Canon so directly. This is because I like BOTH companies, I like their products, and I wish they wouldn't fight. More than this their cameras aren't the same at all so they shouldn't be treated as competition for each other. In my belief RED should take the 'high road' and act like a pro camera company instead of a consumer or prosumer camera company. But what is happening now is that Red and Canon are both poising themselves for the release of their next products though (in Canon's case) some sort of Hollywood filmmaker (or indy filmmaker?) promotional event on Nov 3rd along with (in RED's case) a simultaneous announcement for their new product(s)... on the same day as Canon's event.

Like I said, I still believe RED is making a mistake by not staying with the pro market and competing with companies like Alexa and Sony- and if they 'happen' to release a pro camera (like Scarlet) that cuts into Canon/Nikon/Pentax's market share then so be it. But, this battling between these companies is just irresponsible and unnecessary because RED is a very different kind of company which has had its own unique challenges. Canon was birthed from a very different time and place in history and as a consequence many of Canon's customers aren't even going to understand RED's philosophy of business... which is a somewhat new way of doing things. This being said, the product can appear to be very similar to an un-savvy buyer. It takes a true understanding of the finished product as a photographer or filmmaker to truly see the difference.

To many who may ask, the answer is "Yes, you can shoot a professional film with a RED camera" and many in Hollywood do just that. And, "Yes, you can shoot a professional product with a Canon DSLR and many have done that"... especially as an experiment or as a film student's first project. But, how these features happened to enter the Canon DSLR cameras was by a happy accident... so I would NOT consider these DSLR's professional film or movie cameras since they were not made for that purpose. If Canon announces a camera that is made for the purpose of shooting films that would be different... and RED is free game to be challenged. RED needs to understand that the game has changed but they can't lose their poker face- they must hold their cards tight and protect not just their customers but also protect what their customers perception of them is... as a pro camera company. In other words Canon has room to try and grow upwards into a pro line of cameras but these DSLR's are not them- they are pro SLR's with some high rez video capability. Red has created a niche market for less expensive pro cameras... but they should steer clear of making their product look like a fancy DSLR with video capability as an afterthought. They need to be RED... their own beast that cannot be compared to Canon. A pro camera that makes no apologies for their super high rez, Hollywood-approved professional camera... the next panavision. Panavision would never get bristled feathers about what Canon does- they are unique cameras that create different products.

To sum it up, if you are a producer who doesn't know the difference, you need to talk to some DP's who've done both and ask them the difference... don't make the decision on your film just because you can save a few thousand on using a few DSLR's instead of using a RED. Also, if you are RED or Canon, if you don't have the confidence in your product to just let it be what it is and to focus on those best qualities, you might get taken off of your game and start thinking this is just a battle of words or advertising dollars, it is not. It is a matter of the camera to suit the product and to suit the budget. I think Canons are perfect for the beginning filmmaker who wants to shoot short subject, shoot with no crew/a small crew or is doing film school work. It's not the best on action films though and the batteries can overheat, but the Red has had overheating issues as well. In contrast, I think Red is great for feature film shooting. It makes it possible for producers who are considering their thin budget and also not keen on compromising on their quality. So they represent for me, different stages in a filmmakers life and different tools for different projects. No more, no less. Who knows what will happen on Nov 3rd, but at the end of the day the one who will have the best seat in Hollywood won't get it because of their loud mouth, they will get it because they made a great product that delivers on what it preaches.

The Amp HDR camera being developed!

Contrast Digital announced recently that they are developing the Amp Gen II camera as a high tech HDRI film camera at 24 or 30 fps.  If you know anything about HDRI you should find this interesting...

A Versatile HDR Video Production System from Mike Tocci on Vimeo.

So, obviously, I would really love to shoot with this camera or with one like it.  Supposedly, the RED EPIC is going to have a comparable HDR capability...  I have been for some time, after all, working on a concept for a feature film utilizing HDR video as a stylistic approach during the entire film.  It is a post-american steampunk/sci-fi biker gang film and it should be just a complete enjoyment to film!  Yayy!  I can't wait!

Zacudo embarks on the Great Camera Shootout

Go here for the Shootout:
http://www.zacuto.com/the-great-camera-shootout-2011/episode-one

Zacudo, who makes pro support gear and rigs for cameras and filmmaking, has been a long-time producer of web shorts about filmmaking, dslr cameras and film on the web- and now they have embarked on their second series of tests for cameras (the first Great Camera Shootout was for DSLR's vs. Film and actually won an Emmy award).  This one is supposedly even more professional, exhaustive, and high brow- with an LA production and screens all over the world with some of the world's finest cinematographers watching the tests & weighing in on the best of the best pro digital cameras.

The cameras chosen to compete this time were consistent with their more professional approach-- the best digital cameras in the world used on MOST films being produced today- including the DSLR's and including Kodak film as well.  They tested the Arri Alexa, Red One MX, Sony F35, Sony F3, Phantom Flex, Kodak 5213, Kodak 5219, Panasonic AG-AF100, Weisscam HS-2, Canon 1D MkIV, Canon 5D MkII, Canon 7D and the Nikon D7000.  My camera the Canon 60D should be rated similarly to the Canon 7D as it comes to image quality.  This is part one of a three part series which will be gradually released in the next few months as they are being edited.

I have to say I think this is the biggest public test of this kind in the world- I just hope they did all the cameras justice and no one gets their little panties in a wad over some of the results... people can get VERY attached to their cameras of choice and I for one am surprised in a few of the results.  The Alexa did as well as I thought it would.  Film didn't do so hot in the low light but handled any available light very well.  The Sony's surprised with their high's and lows.  The Flex seemed to do badly all around, just as the Panasonic seemed to do- definitely NOT as good as the others... even compared to the DSLR's.  The DSLR's surprised as well with fairly good latitude for the price.  But, I think the Red did very well- though on par with the Alexa and with the Sony's in my view.  I suppose the biggest surprise is the fact that I feel my investment in a DSLR was still very smart AND that the next cameras for me is either the Red Epic (which is supposed to be even better than the One) or one of the Sonys.  I was very surprised in the quality of the Sonys latitude vs. some of the other cameras.  I still can't wait to see more of the Epic & I hope to use it on a film once it comes out.  It is a sad thing that they couldn't acquire one for the test.

Regardless, we should all remember the line in the end of the video from a great cinematographer, Don McAlpine, "...compared to getting a good script, a good director and a good cast... man... it's a fraction of a percent with where you're going with the result..." meaning the result of these cameras (compared to one another) is a fraction of what is really important in making a good film (compared with the importance if having a good script, director & cast).  So, true.

Looking for a composer

Hello everyone!  I have long wanted some good friendships with musicians to help make films with.  So, I have decided I might as well put out the call to find a composer to either help score a soundtrack for individual scenes or to provide their tracts for use in my upcoming film(s).  Right now, I am working on a short film that is called "Death Do Us Part" and we are now in post-production.  But, this may end up being a long term collaboration or friendship between us- if I like your style!  Often, filmmakers will work with composers and musicians on an ongoing basis because of having a common style in collaboration. You dont have to be 'good'- I just need to like it!  That being said, I cannot guarantee friendship- it sounds kind of funny to put it that way- but this internet collaboration thing can be turbulent, strange and unnerving and yet... it can also be strangely rewarding I have found... if the right chord is struck.

If you find yourself 'interested' in this idea, please respond by leaving me a comment and offering me a link to your content somewhere on the web... or by telling me a little bit about yourself.  I would deeply appreciate any help you would give me to make my films sparkle and come to life- especially if your work is even moderately good!  Remember, if you are good, you probably won't think you are that good- but it really only matters if you work hard and live up to your own personal bar of excellence... if you are doing that pleeeeaaaase contact me!  If you know someone who would fit this description- please contact me or connect us!  Thanks so much people!!  =)

Loving the new RED EPIC tests at 300 fps

I have been looking forward to some good fps tests with the new Epic camera.  So Phillip Bloom just released this test yesterday.  http://philipbloom.net/2011/06/25/epic300fps/


Drip: RED EPIC 300 FPS test shoot from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.



This is especially relevant since Cameron & Lucas were speaking earlier this year at CinemaCon about fps being the next big thing after 3D- or so they say.  Also, I'm loving the rumored HDR capabilities it is supposed to have and the selective focus in post.  I can't wait to shoot with it at some point.

Picture Lock on "Death Do Us Part"!!!

It looks like we have achieved this landmark of post-production phase!!  Picture-Lock!!  It is about 10 minutes with title sequence and credit crawl!  Not too bad!!  We still need the audio and most VFX to be laid in and rendered out...  But, picture lock (which is the completion of the editing/cutting decisions- to the point that you can say it is pretty much chiseled in stone) makes it possible to complete these other goals with better accuracy.  I cannot say when the VFX and sound will be done but- I will make sure to keep you all informed and up to date on our progress!

Film Hubs- Another Look

A few years ago, I was researching what I call the different "film hubs" all around the U.S. to determine where the best place to do business and possibly the best place to move would be (if I were to move).

The Film Hubs (1-11): #1 being the best and #11 being, well... on the bottom.  Not necessarily the bottom, as in, "the worst" in the nation, but relatively speaking, the worst of the bunch.  So, this is strictly in comparison to the other film hubs being scrutinized in the post.  Also, I have added a new priority to the mix which might affect things a few percentage points up or down.  Getting a job if we move is important, so I added a "Jobs" priority.  Since, my wife works in TV editing and I am probably going to have to get some video or production-related work or possibly, I hope to be able to work in the welding field.  Regardless, this is definitely an important factor... these are not simply normal jobs you can find anywhere.  Also, I decided to add my assessment of how California would stack up with the other film hubs according to my own current priorities, so there are now, eleven contenders.

Priorities:  Jobs + Cheap + Industry + Film Community + Livable + Family = Total

1. Florida Film Hub   10 + 8 + 2 + 4 + 6 + 10 = 40

2. California Film Hub   8 + 3 + 10 + 7 + 6 + 5 = 39
3. Louisiana Film Hub   7 + 7 + 9 + 7 + 5 + 4 = 39

4. Georgia Film Hub   7 + 7 + 8 + 6 + 5 + 5 = 38

5. Portland/Seattle/Vancouver Film Hub   4 + 4 + 5 + 7 + 10 + 7 = 37

6. NYC Film Hub   9 + 1 + 9 + 9 + 7 + 2 = 37

7. New England Film Hub   6 + 5 + 6 + 8 + 6 + 5 = 36

8. Texas Film Hub   5 + 7 + 7 + 8 + 4 + 4 = 35
9. Michigan Film Hub   4 + 5 + 6 + 6 + 4 + 9 = 34
10. Chicago/Milwaukee Film Hub   6 + 3 + 7 + 6 + 4 + 5 = 31
11. Pittsburgh/Cleveland Film Hub   3 + 5 + 5 + 6 + 5 + 6 = 30

It looks like Florida wins this round!  The great thing is these are all places that are important for different reasons.  In Cali and NOLA, it is the film-related work and jobs.  In Florida, it is because a job is ensured and because our family is here... increasing the Jobs and Family rating.

There are many things to consider.  And family and livability are pretty important for us right now since we have a growing family!

So, looks like I'll be looking at staying in Florida for right now until I have some better prospects or until I have a feature film under my belt. Or maybe I'll find something that interests me elsewhere- or something that proves my high marks wrong somehow.  We will see.  =)

Still Exploring the Film School Options

Since I started my filmmaking career about 4 years ago I have wanted to move to a 'film hub' and possibly to attend film school.  I try not to get too emotional about these decisions but it also makes me put them off or ignore their importance.  I have also been a proponent of filmmaking self-education over the internet and through personal experience.  For the most part this method has proven to be effective if you are a self-starter and you take personal initiative to constantly improve upon your own work.  That being said, I have not progressed as much as I had hoped (based on my goals a few years ago) probably because I tend to start out with some very ambitious goals and then more realistic realities start to take form eventually.

If you have seen my slate of projects that I have had on this blog... well lets just say I am a bit behind on those goals.  Admittedly, even the more recent goals were much more realistic than how I started- which was to make a feature sci-fi noir RIGHT AWAY.  Of course, I had no idea how much work and how much money that would actually take to achieve.  I am not someone who wants to make what may be called "crap movies"- although I could have made something (by now) that would 'technically' meet the stated goals in past blog posts- but they would be nowhere near the quality that I have imagined in my head.  I am of the opinion that if you make bad movies- you get type-cast as someone who just makes bad movies... so I want to at least not fall into making movies without a solid handle on the "craft".

This brings me back to moving because the quality of your crew is seriously affected if you do not live in a good area for filmmaking.  Also... Rebecca and I still want to move.  Some of our challenges are also still the same challenges. Most of all, the real estate market is still bad and I need to finish fixing up our condo.

Still, I have managed to narrow down the film hubs and colleges I am interested in.  I prefer organizations and very specific programs that are much cheaper and faster than normal colleges and universities- since I prefer a real film community over film theory and academics.  Here are the possible schools and programs.  Many are in NYC while some others are in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Portland, Seattle, Grand Rapids, Denver & Vancouver, BC.

The Lee Strasberg Theater & Film Institute 
Werner Herzog's Rogue Film School
Chicago Filmmakers
Pittsburgh Filmmakers
Digital Film Academy

Colorado Film School

Hunter College (CUNY)

nwFilm Center School of Film
NW Film Forum
Seattle Film Institute
Vancouver Film School
Compass Film Academy

If anyone can recommend a school (hopefully cheaper than NYU or Columbia please), or knows anything about these areas, these organizations or these schools in question, give me a comment or two.  I'd appreciate it!

Development (Update 3)

Here is another update on the films slated to be shot in the future. Please refer to the last update to see the context here.  So, here is the current state of my brainstorming progress...

Short Subjects

"Death Do Us Part" -- Post-Production -- Jun 2011

"Untitled Short written by Rebecca Croft" -- Writing -- Jun 2011

"Lunch Date" aka "Wendigo" -- In Development -- Nov 2011

"The Fire" -- Writing -- Jan 2012

Features

"Bad Day" -- Writing -- Oct 2011

"Punishment" -- Planned -- Jun 2012

"Redshift" -- Planned -- Feb 2013

Instead of just saying "In Development" I thought I would be more specific about the kind of work we are doing (or not doing) on each project.  So,  either we have "planned" to start working on or developing the project, we are actively "writing", we are "in development" (which is like re-writing and gathering resources), we are in "pre-production" (meaning it has been green-lighted so we are planning the shooting), we are "filming" (production), or we are in "post-production" (editing, vfx, sound design, music composition, ADR, coloring, rendering, etc).

The Shorts

My wife is now writing another short which makes me really excited- especially because it is a period fantasy piece!!  I have to say, knowing my wife and the quality of her ideas- I pretty much slated this short immediately upon hearing her plans.  The title is not determined yet, but it should be a really fun, lighthearted piece.  "Death Do Us Part" was different in the sense that it was also lots of fun but a bit more serious.  "Lunch Date" has morphed a bit into a classic horror story with a monster and some modern moodiness.  "The Fire" is being taken from my own rambling, eclectic, dystopian ideas to create a dark American society in the future.   "The Fire" has suspended in it- ideas for a feature film about a similar dark dystopian American society, except with hyped up futuristic motorcycle gangs!!!  YAYY!  Who couldn't get excited about that?  I also have a similar dystopian story planned for a different feature with a detective in a dark American future city and a sort of sci-fi noir atmosphere aspect to it.  If you know what my favorite film is, you will know where I'm coming from here... its kind of a no brainer!  These shorts are supposed to prepare me for these feature ideas to be really great when I execute them so, I suppose we will see about that.

The Features

"Bad Day" seems to me now a better first feature to start with than "Punishment", even though it is not a horror like Punishment but also it is not as much of a high concept art film.  It is a simple story about bad things happening to normal people in a normal small American suburban setting.  "Transmission" has not gone away- it is the same story but the title has been changed to "Redshift".  Also, I will need considerable funding to make the dystopian American biker movie set in the near future (which we can call "Timeline" as a working title), so I have not slated it here yet because I have no idea when I could expect that sort of funding.

If any of these projects sound like things you would like to get involved in or are excited about, let me know and show your support!  Thanks so much for all of the help we've received so far with "Death Do Us Part"!!  There is more to come and we plan on getting bigger and better with every offering!!  Ciao people!

The Self-Taught Filmmaker: Part 1

This is the beginnings of an ongoing article about how to teach yourself to be a filmmaker online and through personal experience- which I will update often and add new parts to (because of all the information).  Reading this article can help make you a great filmmaker, but I must give a disclaimer... 

First of all, filmmakers are born... & second of all, filmmakers are made (if not born).  But in order to be "made" you MUST work as a filmmaker and experience the work many times before you realize your shortcomings and you chose to overcome them.  If you do not chose to do this- you will not be nearly as great as a born filmmaker.  You must use proactive, confident action.  And you must be willing to smack your head up against a wall of indifference over and over.

So, my disclaimer means that my information will help you to acquire a measure of technical skill and a measure of efficiency- but it is no substitute for talent or for experience.  This is where you come in.  NO ONE can make you great or motivate you to be great.  Only you can do this all by your lonesome.

I will outline the kinds of help you will be getting here and within each section I will expand and add information as I have time to do so.

The Self-Taught Filmmaker Outline

1.  Advice on your Attitude

2.  Build a knowledge base

3.  Find a Place to Fit in

4.  Get to know the Film Community

5.  Get to know Film equipment

6.  Get to know the small business basics

7.  Create benchmarks and goals for yourself

8.  Advice on Success & Failure


 Part 1
Advice on your Attitude: Determination & Humility


I approach filmmaking just as I do with life... as an imperfect system.  I cannot expect others to do things for me just as I cannot expect that I wont have to do ALL of the work other people don't want to do & pick up all the pieces left from an organization where most people just "don't care".  This is basically the job of the Producer- to pick up where others leave off after they told you they wouldn't leave you holding the bag & they did anyway.  The Producers have to be the shepherds or the parents in the situation.  Don't be resentful about it- take the position that others leave behind- it is a great position of respect within the industry.  Regardless of any respect however, this is an industry rife with failures.  We all love to talk about the few successes- these things give us fuel to continue on- but we need to get used to failure as a normal state of being.  


My belief is that determination and humility are twin maxims that may give you success in this arena.  Determination keeps you plodding on and humility keeps you from losing patience or forgetting why you are there & what direction you are heading.  We can all fail to remind ourselves that our work can become rote & boring... yes, even filmmaking can become a dull, dull existence when we haven't made any money after a year of pain & bitterness... and (like I said) no money.  But, if we remind ourselves that there are constantly things to learn- constantly, new projects we can find ourselves stimulated by, constantly reminding ourselves that even really great filmmakers lose their edge and become yesterdays news, we can stay motivated.

Humility always reminds us that we are not superheroes or Gods, we are silly, silly fools... lucky just to have a voice and an audience at all.  Do everything with humility because it helps you to learn more which will put you on top of a great many filmmakers not content to live outside of their massive egos.  Instead we already know that we are not perfect & we do not mind being reminded of that fact.  Instead we are grateful for the chance to continue learning more.

Filmmaking is also a long arduous process so we need to be prepared for this long journey.  At least if we are humble we will be more patient with that process and with ourselves.  It helps us to remain stimulated and growing constantly towards better filmmaking.  


A helpful process of creating films for me is "Feel, Think, Do, Cooperate, Re-assess".  This means start out with pure emotion.  What stimulates you?  What makes you happy when you watch a film?  What kind of filmmaking process do you love the most?  Then, go with that gut- but be careful- the next step is "Think."  Think about "how" you are going to achieve this feeling in a smart way- so that it will be a successful endeavor- different from past projects of the same genre- more efficient, more creative, more raw.  Then, complete it with diligence, confidence, patience and passion-- this is the "do" step.  Then, remember that you MUST cooperate with your collaborators on making working, friendly, trusting relationships and executing the work that is most important to make this film as it should be.  Last of all "re-assess" what went well and what went badly. Make a list of things to fix next time and a list of things to NOT change (or the things you loved about the project).  You will be continually growing and learning from this process.


So...
Feel
Think
Do
Cooperate
Re-assess


Do all of these things with determination and humility.  Remember where you came from and where you are going before you head out on your journey. :)




Next up: Part 2 is about building a knowledge base.  There are numerous sources of information on the internet- but there are other areas you can mine for resources and help too.

Movies I Am Most Anticipating

The films I am most anticipating recently (there are so many great upcoming films I had to make this list!) from the most anticipated to least.  I can hardly wait- even for the least anticipated ones here!  So, here they are...


1. Super 8 by J. J. Abrams
2. The Hobbit by Peter Jackson
3. Prometheus by Ridley Scott
4. Arrested Development by Mitchell Hurwitz
5. Django Unchained by Quentin Tarantino
6. Kill Bill: Vol III by Quentin Tarantino
7. Pacific Rim by Guillermo Del Toro
8. Untitled Sci-Fi by Duncan Jones
9. The Dark Knight Rises by Christopher Nolan
10. Cowboys & Aliens by Jon Favreau
11. The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick
12. Bond No. 23 by Sam Mendes
13. Akira by ????
14. Robotech by ????
15. Elysium by Neill Blomkamp
16. Gravity by Alfonso Cuaron
17. Machine Man by Darren Aronofsky
18. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by David Fincher
19. Untitled Project by Jim Jarmusch
20. World War Z by Marc Forster
21. Oz: the Great & Powerful by Sam Raimi
22. Corpus Christi by Richard Kelly
23. Machine Gun Preacher by Marc Forster
24. Neuromancer by Vincenzo Natali
25. Looper by Rian Johnson
26. Moonrise Kingdom by Wes Anderson
27. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Timur Bekmambetov
28. ParaNorman by Chris Butler and Sam Fell
29. Trance by Danny Boyle
30. Project London by Ian Hubert
31. Jack the Giant Killer by Bryan Singer 
32. Adventures of Tintin by Stephen Spielberg
33. Brave by (Pixar's) Brenda Chapman and Marc Andrews
34. Cloud Atlas by the Wachowskis
35. General Orders No. 9 by Bob Persons
36. Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie by Tim & Eric
37. Heart String Marionette by M Dot Strange
38. Total Recall by Len Wiseman
39. Dark Shadows by Tim Burton
40. Ecstasia by Wayne Kramer 
41. Ghostbusters III by Ivan Reitman
42. Battlestar Gallactica by Bryan Singer 
43. Ubik by Michel Gondry
44. Young Adult by Jason Reitman
45. Hesher by Spencer Susser



There may even be more of these, but for the life of me, I can't remember a time when there were so many upcoming films I was interested in... usually its maybe 5-10 per year?  Maybe?  Of course I'm aware that many of these won't come out this year and many of them may never even get made.  There's just so many!  This doesnt even include many films that are already released that I still need to watch.  Hmmmph.  I have my work cut out for me!  :)

"DDUP" Editing & Exploring Ideas for our Next Short

I am in the post-production phase of "Death Do Us Part" and I have morphed and grown in this phase more than I thought I would.  Since my wife, Rebecca Croft (writer & editor for the project) has been working full time at her editing gig at HSN (she has, by the way, grown some great relationships there) I have been editing more for the short, which means I have been doing it somewhat inefficiently and unconventionally compared to my wife.  I have found that I rely a great deal on rote routines and find difficulty with new experiences unless I am very prepared for them.  So, I have been going over our rough edit for some time now & modifying my ideas about how to narrow down a cut.  Since there is no ONE way to do this- I find it an interesting process.  I am now working to make the beginning communicate to the viewer as a beginning.  Also, we need to drop in the vfx scenes and get the pacing working with the soundtrack- which we still need.

An easy distraction for me to embrace during this post phase is coming up with story ideas for our next short.  Coming up with ideas for shorts is harder for me than feature ideas because the time limitation is so restrictive.  I have a creative flux that loves possibilities of fleshing out very epic stories- not short 'farts' of story.  Just as its always been hard for me to learn and to tell jokes or quippy remarks- since I always get caught up in the huge context of what makes an epic story work.  In other words, the real world is very complex and it takes time to sort out life's complexities- but its something I do very naturally and easily- like taking a snapshot of that very technically complex story or idea... then laying out 'how' to tell the story to make the maximum impact  on the viewer... instead I am left with one or two very short moments to plant a growing seed of lasting interest for the viewer.

This is why we decided to do "Death Do Us Part".  It is like one big punchline that creates a potential for great moments where the viewer is supposed to be very affected by the relationships and atmosphere in the film.  It just needs that punchline to happen and the film can hinge on that moment.

For our next short, I hope to do something a bit larger in scope, as well as to learn from our mistakes in this last one.  I had planned a sort of thriller/horror based on a short my wife made years ago in high school.  I also keep having ideas for an epic art film idea that I call "The Fire".  It has some horrific elements, some sci-fi and steampunk elements and some dystopian ideas in it which is so much of what I love about film.  I think I need to do what my heart most leads me to do but this is a very difficult decision.  Once I write the script it will be an easier choice.

I need a triangulation of advantages to help me take my films to the next level and this is much of what I am concerned about- not so much about whether I can make a film- but "what will it be?" and "how will I get it out there to reach the next level?" is more the questions I am struggling with.

Death Do Us Part - Wrapping Party (2)

So, WHEN is Jon gonna contact us & let us know what the heck he is doing with the movie???  How about a PARTY instead??? 

The Party Down Until... Death Do Us Part Wrapping Party will take place at Rhino Studios on Saturday April 23rd at 7pm.  You may bring any significant others, dependents or attachments with you (within reason).  Lets make sure to have some good clean fun!!  There is no cost for you- this is not a club- it is a film studio. LOL. So, keep that in mind.  We are not allowed to burn down the 600 block on Central Ave- so..... yeah.  We may bring drinks.  If there are any requests- please let me know.  No, not song requests- drink or food requests. LOL.

So, be ready to hang out & watch a behind the scenes video of Death Do Us Part!!!  Please confirm with me by phone, email or my facebook. 

Also, there may be peppery eggs for us on a first come first served basis. :)  Yayy!!!!!  Now THATS a party!!!

Jon

Why Liberty No. 5 Pictures?

Liberty is American & Filmmaking is American

What does Liberty No. 5 Pictures stand for?  What does the word "Liberty" and the "number 5" have to do with anything and especially filmmaking?  The simple answer?  Liberty No. 5 is a personal distillation and interpretation of some of the distinctly American things and filmmaking things that I love.  I love that filmmaking and America seem to go hand in hand... the production company logo itself is modeled after a gold American coin, a historically timeless symbol of value.  On this, the liberty torch, a symbol oft used in American symbology and in some other film production companies (especially in my favorite production logo title card, the Columbia Pictures 'torch lady' logo).  So, I chose Liberty No. 5 to be a strong, centrally placed, round metallic symbol, that also contains my personal philosophy of filmmaking and thrifty producing that i have learned through the years.  To me, it means something of "timeless American value."

The Nickelodeon

There is significance to both elements of the company's name, "liberty" and "no. 5".  Most of all, the logo encapsulates the primary meaning best... specifically, the old "American-style coin" logo is modeled after the early 20th century American Liberty Head "V" nickel.  This coin was used, beginning in 1905, as payment to watch some of the first short films ever made in the first effective film distribution model ever known, called the "Nickelodeons".  This industry was founded from these humble means, but grew to great heights very quickly and morphed into longer-format exhibition-style theaters as the early filmmakers like D.W. Griffith would move westward & would popularize feature length films.

Other Liberty Film Production Companies

There is also a great history of Film Production companies using the name "Liberty" in their title, the greatest of which is Frank Capra's "Liberty Films" of the late 40's and the most recent of which is Duncan Jones' "Liberty Films" currently in operation in the UK.  I intend to pay respect to these companies as well as the principles of my production company... but in addition, to the concept of freedom, from which we are given the right to make films and to speak freely about whatever matter we wish to speak about through our chosen form of speech.  I am grateful for the right & the freedom to speak but if I truly intend to honor that freedom, I recognize that I must use it responsibly.

Auteur Filmmaking & Artistic Freedom

Back to the primary element of  "liberty", we will have to take a trip through history.  First of all, Frank Capra's "Liberty Films" was intended to be an independent film production company, set up as an oasis, separate from the control of Hollywood power and away from so-called "executive power."  Frank Capra's philosophy on the matter was that the auteur filmmaker/or a strong Director/Producer and not the corporate, or executive-run film productions that Capra had known and we still know today, should override the latter on the decision-making process (as it comes to greenlighting-- and as it comes to any artistic decisions in filmmaking).

Capra's philosophy vs. mine

If we look closer, we can see the positive and negative parts of his philosophy.  For example, the greatest film that sprang from his company was "It's a Wonderful Life," although the film itself bankrupted the company.  It has also grown a legacy for itself, but at the time, it was difficult to outgrow Capra's incredible spending and failure to hedge his bets, which ruined the company.  Yet, as we can see today, it was a very significant film in its powerfully humanitarian themes, its sense of moral duty and in its sense of craft.  So, we can see that certain problems may bring about exceptions to Frank Capra's philosophy on individual artistic license and this detail may have actually cost Capra the future of his film company.  


Yes, as an artist the film speaks for itself as a work of beauty and genius.  Yet, we must learn that without maintaining financial stability, an artist cannot maintain his high quality of work, nor can he successfully secure his future.  My vision, then is to forge a compromise between the Producer/Executive's power and the Producer/Director's.  I have designed a corporate and executive structure that reflects this compromise, a structure that I call "In Touch & At Risk".  I will tell you about this in another post, but the important thing now is the relevance to the name and its calling us to remember not just freedom of speech but, also, of artistic freedom.

The 5th

The significance of the number 5 in Liberty No. 5 Pictures is for the most part about the nickelodeon.  But, there are some other curious connections with the number five. There are five human senses and the five human wits in Western philosophy and literature.  There are five fingers on the human hand, five limbs on the human body and the five elements in eastern philosophy, known as earth, water, fire, wind & void.  As it comes to running a film production company, there are five departments necessary in any efficient film production of any kind:  Camera, Sound, Art, Post-Production, & of course, the administrative or Above-the-line (which includes the Director, all Producers and the lead talent attached to the project).  The number 5 is significant in nature, in the sciences, the humanities and in it's historical significance. A film with this grounding can then not only take shape as a true work of art, but can also, grow, move and speak for itself as a living entity, adapting as necessary to the current situation and cultural context it finds itself.  And a film can be a force of nature, given the freedom to do so.

Force and Shape

I hope that, given the time for my vision to take shape, I can breathe life into many films that will give a much needed voice to untold and significant stories. Stories that desires to do more than speak... but to act.  To be something of value that can perpetuate continued learning for those who watch, for some decades in the future.  I wish to say that there are rules in the universe just as there are in the sciences, in mathematics and in religion. That there is a form to the universe and an absolute shape to the world we live in.  These truths are obvious for those who learn, but for the unteachable, there is art.


What I have learned as a writer is that given our recognition to the limitations we are presented with, we can make the best of what we have, instead of being stubborn children who proclaim, in complete ignorance, that we are kings of the universe.  Instead, we should first admit to ourselves that we are what we are... women and men... nothing more and nothing less. And we can not only live with that, but we can thrive in these limited conditions, happily.  Life is a series of challenges and for most of us, an unfair hand of cards are dealt us as human beings.  A well crafted story can enlighten many of us to these facts and can help us deal with these ignoble circumstances where other things will only fail to speak to us on any real level... this is especially true, the more commercial our art becomes.


But, more than so-called "card players", we are individuals... people who must learn to live with one another more nobly and more free.  Free to make mistakes, and free to succeed.  And free to speak our mind on any number of subjects in the interest of honest discussion and debate.  My opinion is that the films and the art that help us to think and to examine the real world around us more, even if on a subtle level, is worthy of much exploration and worthy of support, whether it be through our friendship or through our patronage.

Learning Lessons

When I was learning music in my twenties, I learned that there are rules, and very possibly from this there might even be the perfect pop song just waiting to be created if we were willing to learn the lessons necessary to create it.  In other sciences and arts the same thing is true, rules apply and we must gravitate to them and humble ourselves to them before we know how to work with them & befriend them.  This can only give us an advantage as compared to artists that do not know or acknowledge these rules.  I recognize filmmaking to be the same discipline of humility and growth within boundaries, within respect and within rational reason- not something to be constantly challenged or rebelled against- it is instead, a beautiful dance.  


And a dance is a constant adaptation to your own limitations in form- you go with your limitations- not against them, and you can find that doing unique things comes easier because you are a unique person and your expression within the discipline will always be unique, without fail.  Failure is simply listening to other artists as the authority instead of listening to the real limitations in form and in the filmmaking discipline.  And yet, I can always get back on the horse and learn the lesson.  


And I would hope that if I do fail as a filmmaker at first, you will continue to give me a try in the future because... I have simply fallen off of the horse, but, as I have to dust off and nurse a bruised rear end, hoping the skittish stallion has not lost confidence in me, all you need to do is... to simply put another nickel in the nickelodeon and watch a man's dreams take shape... into a beautiful dance of flickering light and form.  All I can say is, thank you for believing... and enjoy your movie.

Death Do Us Part - Wrapping Party/Post Production Phases

"Death Do Us Part" is wrapped and is doing very well, thanks to the very dedicated talent and crew that made this film possible.  Thank you all so much!  A Wrapping Party will be taking place in the next few weeks so we can say thank you more personally and invite you all to watch some of the film.  While a rough has not been entirely cut yet, due to other work commitments, our time off has been lots of fun with the little editing we have done so far!

New Developments: The Party will most likely be on Sat April 23rd at Rhino Film Studios from 7-10pm!!!  There will be some behind the scenes video shown at the Party!!!!  Come ready to have a good time!!!!  Peppery eggs will be served to all attendees!!!  (Just kidding!)

As it comes to our Post-Production phases- they will be somewhat typical as films go: a rough cut is done first and is now nearing completion, we will be working on some of the visual effects for certain scenes as well as putting the opening title/closing title sequence together during that time and I will be gathering music during this entire process as I am struck with inspiration and discover the right opportunities for licensing and scoring.  Then we will hopefully be locking everything down including all the pacing and all the extra sequences, of course much of this depends on getting the right music to help set the pacing if need be.  Sometimes the right song can effect a sequence and its pacing for the better, so I will be looking out for these happy occasions.  After getting picture lock we can start getting all the VFX solidified and the colorizing can be done and soon after that- voila!  We will have a film!  


But, again, I want to reiterate that we do not want to rush post-production because we realize it is REALLY about quality.  It is always a good reminder to keep the main thing the main thing in our filmmaking endeavors.  We are never guaranteed success for our hard work and we are never guaranteed any understanding from others or even from ourselves when we don't succeed for whatever reason.  We just need to keep remembering why we are doing it and learn to not lean so much on these "perfect" outcomes happening.  What I feel is, as long as we are working hard on our discipline, we are on the right path.  


So, thanks to so many of you who put the right foot forward & continued to give quality- not simply putting the days work in and going home.  You are on the right path my friends!  It'll be great to work with you again!!

Party time!! 
(More to come soon...)

General Call Times & Locations for "Death Do Us Part"

We currently are in need of a few Extras to play funeral party guests during the Sunday Feb 27th Funeral Scene shoot- best if over 45 years of age.  Wear black 'formal' and sunglasses- make sure to bring a change of clothes and wear sunscreen.  A black or grey umbrella would be a good idea to bring as well- if you got em.

General Call Times

CAST Call Times:
Friday Feb 18th 7:00pm-2am  - Scenes 2,3,4  (Barbara, Cathy, Henry)
Sunday Feb 20th 10:00am-7pm  - Scenes 4,5,6 (Barbara, Henry)
Saturday Feb 26th 9:00am-2pm  - Scenes 7,8 (Barbara)
Sunday Feb 27th 10:00am-3pm  - Scene 1 (Barbara, Cathy, Priest, BG Talent)

CREW Call Times:
Friday Feb 18th 6:00pm-2am  - Scenes 2,3,4 (Matt & Tim not needed, Need Marcus)
Sunday Feb 20th 9:00am-7pm  - Scenes 4,5,6 (Matt & Tim not needed, Need Marcus)
Saturday Feb 26th 9:00am-2pm  - Scenes 7,8 (only need Joyce, Jon, Wheat, Rebecca, & Antonio)
Sunday Feb 27th 9:00am-3pm  - Scene 1 (Need BG Talent & Matt & Tim to help with Funeral Setup)


Locations:

Fri 18th night shoot & Sun 20th

INT/EXT House location
135 9th Ave NE, St. Petersburg, FL.
--Park along the street on 9th Ave NE or along the street going down 1st St.
--Meet in front of 135 9th Ave House. Then on the back deck of the house.


Sat Feb 26th
Crematorium location
Royal Palm Cemetery, 1st Ave S. + 55th St., St. Petersburg, FL.
--Parking along side of street, 1st Ave. S.
--Meet on 1st Ave S. & walk in when called -or- we will drive you into the cemetery if possible.

Beach location
Sunset Beach, 77th Ave + West Gulf Boulevard, Treasure Island, FL
--Park in the Parking Lot at the beach. Pay for parking if necessary- we will reimburse you.
--Meet in the Parking Lot.


Sun Feb 27th
Cemetery location
Royal Palm Cemetery, 1st Ave S. + 55th St., St. Petersburg, FL.
(Same location as the Crematorium)
--Parking along side of street, 1st Ave. S.
--Meet on 1st Ave S. & walk in when called -or- we will drive you into the cemetery if possible.

Backup Cemetery location -2 blocks away:
Park location
Bear Creek Park 1st Ave N. + 60th St., St. Petersburg, FL.
--Parking along side of street, 1st Ave N.
--Meet at picnic benches between ball park behind the house on corner.

Thank you so much for helping & we should have a great fun 4 days of shooting!!!

Jon

First Day of Shooting "Death Do Us Part"

First days are always the best & worst days.  You get over your worries but you also deal with your worst scenarios.  You find out if people are really on your side & if your overall plan really works... Its a sea-change... whatever the heck that means.

For this shoot we had to do a lot.  As you can see by this picture we were somewhat successful though.  We got a time machine on the blackmarket, brought our lead actors with us, and told them to establish a long-lasting marital relationship, so that their part for the movie would be acted more realistically.  It all paid off!  We took this photo as proof of what we did!  Better yet, with the time machine we didn't lose any time in this process we couldn't make up later.  Of course, now I have stories of meeting up with doppelgangers and having our brief run-ins with the universe collapsing- but we are all just fine as you can see!

Tonight, we are going to shoot this movie & the acting will be stellar, because they really DID spend the last 40 years re-living their best & worst moments... for YOU and for the FILM.  So, expect this movie to knock your socks off!  I, for one, did not expect to find a time machine for such a great price on the black market so I am blown away!!

The General Call Times and location are thus:

6pm for Crew -- 7pm for Cast at:
135 9th Ave. NE 
St. Petersburg, FL
--Park along the street on 9th Ave NE or along the street going down 1st St.
--Meet in front of 135 9th Ave House. Then on the back deck of the house.

Pat will come a little early, as will Wheat, John, me & Rebecca.  We will be working until about 2am with a break at about 11pm.  Come having eaten right before & we will be ready to work!

Thanks so much!  Don't forget to thank Joyce & Patrick for giving so much of their 40 years of work & sacrifice to go back in time for us & snap that picture!  Thanks a billion!

Jon Croft
Director
Liberty No. 5 Pictures

Behind the Scenes of "Death Do Us Part" - Breakdowns

How I do my breakdowns...

We are getting close to production phase!  Let us know if you want to help us out!
libertynumber5-at-gmail.com

Behind the Scenes of "Death Do Us Part" - Part 2

Casting Sessions!!



Let us know if you want to help us out!...
libertynumber5-at-gmail.com

"Death Do Us Part" - Casting Call - 2/2/11

Liberty No. 5 Pictures is Casting for "Death Do Us Part," a short supernatural dramedy film.

Looking for actors between the ages of 45-65.

Casting Sessions will take place during (3) days:
1) Saturday February 5th from 11AM to 2PM
2) Monday February 7th from 6PM to 9PM &
3) Tuesday February 8th from 6PM to 9PM
at:
Rhino Film Studios, 657 Central Ave. St. Petersburg, FL. 33714

Characters (Non-SAG)

Barbara (surviving wife) (45-65) white female
Henry (husband, zombie) (45-65) white male
Cathy (Best friend of Barbara) 45-65 female
Priest (grave and sincere) 45-65 male

Bring a headshot or photo & be ready to read. There will be a moderate action sequence & Henry will need to be made-up in zombie makeup. Shooting will take place during weekends in Late February (the 19th/20th & 26th/27th). We will consider all kinds of resumes of all applicants, possibly for other unadvertised or currently unavailable positions. Please be professional and courteous- email us with your name, age, sex, important contact information, any relevant experience & the date & time you will be coming. You can send it to libertynumber5 at gmail.com. Thank you & I will be happy to meet all of you!

"Death Do Us Part" is an independent short film written by Rebecca Croft & directed by Jon Croft.

Death Do Us Part - 1/29/11 - Production Report

***NEW UPDATES as of 2/3/11***

Hi everyone!  Jon here!  Here's a quick report on what we have "going for us" and what we don't have "going for us" so far.

We have most of the equipment we need to shoot this so that (somewhat large expense) is taken care of.  We also have most of our crew (but we do need to get everyone together before we shoot).  We have found two places to conduct our casting sessions at.  The first is downtown St. Pete, the other is a nice conference room in Largo.  This will POSSIBLY be held next weekend (Saturday the 5th, the day before the Superbowl) and the following Monday 7th & Tuesday 8th in the evening- NOT SOLIDIFIED YET. Most of our locations will need no authorization or permit.  There is a "side of the street" location, a "moment at the beach", stepping out of an ext location which will double as a "crematorium", and a "funeral" which mostly will look like a cemetery but it doesn't need to be at a cemetery really.  Most of the film will take place in an old "bungalow style" house, which of course, we will need have authorization to use.  Probably two days of shooting there.  Then there is the green screen sfx head shot scene which might be effectively placed at location with a plate shot, or added with footage taken at a small green screen studio.  Many of the props are still needed however, as well as all of the cast, which would of course include wardrobe needs.

Again, this is for an 8 min non-union no/lo pay dramedy horror short film shot on the Canon 60D DSLR in Pinellas County.  Say that fast with flaming marshmallows in your mouth!  It'll be fun!  No, just kidding... don't do that!  Put those marshmallows down!

Ok, heres the rundown...

Equipment we have:
Camera Equipment (camera w/ lenses, tripod, head, monitor, skateboard dolly, & possibly a steadicam & small crane, slate), Lights (4-8 small to medium lights 250w-500w lights, one 2k Mole, a few reflectors & flags, gaffer tape, cords & strips), Sound Equipment (recorder, cords, blimp, boom, mic).

Equipment we need:
Camera Equipment (magic arm for monitor), Lights (C-stand, Black Wrap, CTO/CTB, Diffusion or a softbox, Gobo heads, clamps & arms for flags & reflectors, etc), Sound Equipment (mic situation better suited for INT conversations: cardioid mic, lavalier mic system).


Crew we have:
Producer
Director
Cinematographer
1st AD
1st AC
Production Manager?
Production Coordinator
PA

Crew we need:
SFX MU
Sound Recordist
Boom Operator
2nd AD
2nd AC
Grip
1-2 PA's

Casting done:
Found 2 1 office space for casting

Casting yet to be done:
3 casting session days- at least
Get cast (2 leads & 2 supporting)
Get 5-7 extras

Locations we have:
Side of the Street
Beach
INT/EXT House

Crematorium

Locations we need:
Cemetery


Props we have:
book of prayers, holy water, flowers, coat hanger, shoe box, purses, table, mail, mud, something to trip over.

Props we need:
casket, urn, vases, velvet covering, rope around casket, wedding picture, pepper spray bottle, shoe heel, airsoft gun, ashes, exploding head?? (LOL)

MU/Wardrobe we have:
Black clothes

MU/Wardrobe we need:
Properly fitting funeral attire, priestly garb, 2 ladies outfits w/ purses, his graveclothes, Zombie MU

So, thats it!

For right now, I need to solidify the casting times at these locations (should be Sat morning the 5th in Largo (also now in St. Pete), and then, Mon 7th from 6-9pm & Tue 8th from 6-9pm in St. Pete), so that i can send out the casting call.  Then I need to solidify the SFX MU person (its in between two people right now) and the Sound people.  Then we need to have a production meeting and make sure we are all on the same page- we're gonna get this ball rolling forward and then, punch out people getting in our way!  Just kidding!  :D

Which reminds me, I just went to a screenwriters meeting and it was very fun and encouraging to hear that people there really liked the script and hoped the shooting goes well... they were very supportive!  It just goes to show that every little bit of encouragement you can get goes a long way to holding back the discouragement that trials & tribulations can weigh down on you.  Get a shot of enthusiasm & know that if you keep pushing forward, even if it all seems hopeless now- it will come together...

Thx for reading!