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!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
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...
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!
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!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
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!! =)
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!! =)
Saturday, June 25, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
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!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
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
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. =)
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
6. NYC Film Hub 9 + 1 + 9 + 9 + 7 + 2 = 37
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
7. New England Film Hub 6 + 5 + 6 + 8 + 6 + 5 = 36
8. Texas Film Hub 5 + 7 + 7 + 8 + 4 + 4 = 359. 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. =)
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
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
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!
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
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!
Friday, June 3, 2011
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...
The Shorts
The Features
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!
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)