Trailer is up!

Post-production... HUGE UPDATE!

Hello everyone.  It has been a while.  I do apologize.  You never realize how easy it is to leave your normal life to go shoot a movie for a month - only to suddenly be forced back into reality a few short weeks later.  Reality is definitely not as fun as being on set.  But let me fill you in on what has been happening lately.

After we wrapped, Dan and I took a few days off to catch up on sleep.  And then began the editing.  Now, I am not one who really likes to edit.  The task seems way more daunting to me than actually getting the film in the can.  The thought of having to go through about 50 hours worth of footage and dragging it down to an hour and a half is just absurd.  This is why I am not the editor.  

Dan finished the first rough cut of the film in about 3 weeks.  For those who don't know, this is ridiculously fast.  Most films take about 3 months to get that far.  Basically, what this entails, is just getting the movie together.  The scenes are edited, and that's about it.  There is no tweaking of the audio, no real music is laid down, no sound effects, and no coloring.  I'll get into what each of those mean later on.  Basically, this is, as the name implies, the rough edit.  

We showed the rough cut to a few people.  However, this one is usually kept buried pretty deep.  After making a few notes, Dan then goes through and starts to really tweak the project. The rough cut was just under 2 hours.  This is running a little long, so it is important that we can find some scenes to cut from the movie that don't take away from the actual story.  This is where you see the "deleted scenes" in some of the extras on dvds.  It's really hard to cut some scenes - most of the time, they are well executed, acted well, and just an overall good scene - but it can be taken out.  So they're gone!

The second and third edit were more of the same.  We would make notes on the film, take some stuff out, add others, rinse and repeat.  Last week we actually had our first focus group screening.  This was the first time to show the movie in front of an audience that is not directly connected with the film.  The edit is a little further along.  We've done a few more tweaks and some quick clean up of the audio.  Bubba, our assistant editor has done a fantastic job helping in this area.  Once Dan had done the major editing, Bubba was able to come in and really clean and tweak the footage.  The best part about getting it ready for the focus group, was laying down some temp music for the soundtrack.  We got to play around with other film's soundtracks and lay them under the edit.  It's amazing how much a scene can change just by adding music.  

Anyway, back to the focus groups.  We had two screenings, each with about 15 people.  Overall, the film was pretty much a success in their eyes.  It's a huge sigh of relief to know that people were not falling asleep midway through it.  It's always a good sign when people laugh when they are supposed to, and don't laugh when they're not.  Always a good thing.  We had a discussion about their opinions and took notes, and now this week we have been taking those notes and making the necessary changes.  We hope to lock the edit in the next couple of weeks.  Then we can send it off to other people to add music, fix all the sound, and color it.  

Oh yeah.  We also have been working on a trailer.  I say we... I mean Dan.  Once we finish it, we'll post it everywhere for you to be able to see.  

So, that's basically it for now!  Thanks for hanging in there with me while I've been slacking on the whole blog.  Let me know if you guys have any questions about what's been going on.  And, I promise that the updates will be more frequent now.  Seriously.  

That's a WRAP!

We wrapped tonight. What a great, depressing, happy, relief, sad, heartbreakingly wonderful thing.

Now, we hit the ground running with post-production. But not until after I sleep in tomorrow.

More to come...

So, we have been working hard this past week in the wonderful town of Burleson, TX.  I cannot tell you how great this town has been for us.  So special shout out to the town - Thanks for letting us invade your city!

I have been trying to update this thing for the past few days.  For some reason, it's not letting me update any of the fantastic pictures that I have.  Hopefully when I have some real time, I'll be able to fiddle with it and get it working again.  I'll probably do some "retro blogs" discussing what happened on some past days.  Those should be fun for me to try and remember the details.  

Anyway, we wrap on Saturday!  It's a bit crazy to think that it has gone by so quickly.  I really am pleased with what we have gotten.  The crew has been fantastic, and I know when it's over, we will all be sad to not see each other every waking moment of every day.  ahem. 

So, expect a new update again soon!

 

It's a real update!

(this update was written over two days.  The date's may be a little off)

Well hello everyone.  I have a whole lot to tell you all, and not so much time to do it in.  But, I figure that I'll write until someone calls me away. 

 

We have been moving along smoothly.  Tomorrow will be the end of week two.  I really did have grand plans of writing at the end of each day, explaining everything that happened in the hours before.  That has so not happened.  By the time we have wrapped, and I get home, I just want to crawl into bed.  So, my grand plans have been a bit crushed.  I'll just keep to the good stuff.  

It's really interesting to see how Dan has been able to direct all of these musicians who call themselves "actors".  (that is a joke, read it sarcastically).  In all honesty, I think that we have something really cool with the movie.  It may be a few takes before we get what we want, but I think in the end, everyone has been pretty pleased with what we have caught on camera. 

--

Monday:

Although things have been going well,  an epidemic has swept through the crew.  The flu has basically cut the crew in half at times - which made it harder on those that were still well - making them work twice as hard - which then has then made them sick as well.  It has been the worst this past week.  I even got pretty sick on Saturday night.  This weekend couldn't have come at a better time.  Hopefully everyone will be able to regroup a bit.  

As I am looking back on the past few weeks, I'm realizing how much I haven't been able to share.  One of the coolest things that happened this past week was to see Kerry Livgren play the remixed version of "Carry On Wayward Son" on his guitar as Kevin Max sang the vocals.   

Oh yeah, I didn't tell you all.  We got the rights to the song.  Kerry has been working on the remix version for the past month or so, and we finally got to hear it a few days before he drove in.  I went to go pick up Dan one morning to head to set, and he walked out of his house with a goofy grin.  He was holding an envelope.  He stuck his head in my car and told me to turn everything off.  He had the cd.  We immediately popped it in the player and turned it up.  What an amazing feeling to be one of the first to hear Kerry's remixed version.  It was really cool.  Definitely gave the goose-bumps to both of us.   

Then, only a few days later, we were shooting the music video for the song.  I then got to see Kerry actually playing the guitar parts.  On top of that, Kevin was singing the vocals.  Talk about an awesome match.  I can't think of anyone else that would be able to give those vocals the justice that Kevin did.  

The next few weeks we will be down in Burleson.  Hopefully the weather will be kind to us.  We still have some pretty hard work days ahead of us, so hopefully the crew will be feeling better as a whole.  Thanks to those who have been keeping up with us.  If you have sent me an email over the past week or so, and I haven't returned it, please realize that simply put - I just haven't had the time.  I am hoping that by the end of tomorrow, I will be caught up in returning the emails.   

Until next time... when I find internet again.

more pictures for now

So things are crazy around here.  Basically, the most difficult thing has been finding internet to be able to update the blog.   So, I've actually found some internet in order to do so.  This is good.  

It is really really cold today.  This makes everything a little bit harder on everyone.  All the grips are not only having to lift heavy things, but lift heavy "cold" things.

I have a whole lot more to discuss, but for now, I need to update pics for now.  Here they are. 

Hey guys.  I finally got a chance to upload some pictures.  We are shooting at the Maximedia Studios today where we are thankfully inside.  It is dreadfully cold outside right now, and luckily for us, we are not having to endure it.  However, tomorrow, will be a different story.  I am not looking forward to being that cold. 

Anyway, thought you guys might want to see a few pictures of how things are going on the set.  

Ron and I working a camera move

Me on camera.  Matt pulling focus

Screen shot:  Arianne

Dan notices... we have a sound guy

"Didn't look real"

Stephen - boom op for the day

Ron on the dolly - me hidden behind

Dan directing.  

Screen shot:  Arianne and Kevin

Kevin and Troy

Gerry (Best Boy), Dan, and Andy (Key Grip)

crew. 

Kalani with the slate

I think this shot is awesome.  

Ron and Matt

Across the street

Ron and Dan

Day 1

One day down.  21 to go!

Our first day is finished.  I can't really figure out where to start on describing the day.  It was tiring, and exhausting, though extremely exciting.  I think our volunteers did an awesome job their first day on a set.  Surprisingly, things went fairly smooth for the first day.  Most of the times, things are rough at first - which they were - but it is nothing that cannot be ironed out.  I have pictures that I would like to post from the day, but I actually forgot to grab them on to my computer.  I'll see if I can upload them and give a more detailed report of the day tomorrow.  Until then, I am going to bed!

We start shooting on Tuesday.  

Allow me to let that sink in a bit.  

Ok. 

So, things have been pretty crazy around here lately.  I have been constantly either on the phone, or emailing people.  Life has been a bit hectic lately.

One thing that I think people don't think about are all of the tiny details it takes to put on a show like this.  For example, we have food that was donated to us for lunches for the crew.  Now, that's great.  It's fantastic really.  However, we have to figure how in the world to get that food to the set.  And then someone has to set it up.  And then we eat.  That's not so much of a minute detail as the others - but it is important none-the-less.  

Anyway.  I, along with Lisa, the production coordinator, have been trying to take care of every minute detail before they come up.  It's been quite a challenge that has kept the both of us ridiculously busy.  

On another note, Kevin Max came in to town today.  He arrived this afternoon, and Jeff went to go pick him up.  Soon, he will be immersed in the craziness as well.  I will hopefully get to meet him sometime tomorrow or Monday in the midst of all of the meetings that we have.  

Sunday night, the producers are getting together to go over any huge last minute details that have not been taken care of.  Then, on Monday, we have a big production meeting in the morning.  All of the crew come in later Monday afternoon.  Basically, because most of the crew have never been on a set before, we are having a "get to know the equipment" meeting.  We want to make sure that everyone is safe and knows what is going on before we start shooting on Tuesday.

Oh, right.  We start shooting on Tuesday. 

Monday night we will have a table read.  All the actors will come in and we'll all sit around a table and read through the entire script.  This is a chance for the actors to get to talk to Dan and understand some of his vision of what he wants to get out of them before they start actually shooting their scenes.  I actually have never been to a table read for a feature, so I am looking forward to this.  Hopefully I'll have some pictures later on.  

Well, once we get rolling into production, I'll try to keep things updated every couple of days or so.  Again, if you guys have any questions, drop by a comment and let me know!

And in case you forgot, we do start shooting on Tuesday.  

comments

Hey guys.  If you have something about the process of making a movie that you would like for me to cover,  please leave me a comment and let me know.  It can be about making movies in general, or specifically about making this movie.  I'll be happy to answer most of your questions if you have any.  

Oh, and also, be practicing your Guitar Hero - specifically "Carry on Wayward Son".  We might be having an online tournament or something with high scores.  I have no idea how that would work, but I'll figure out something.  :)

casting

We have been casting a few of the other parts of the movie the past couple of days.  I thankfully was able to sit in on the casting sessions with the Casting Director, Jeff Rodgers.  I find this process to be strange.  We, as the production company, have an idea of what the characters should be according to what Dan, the director, has explained to us.  However, in the few sessions that I have had a chance to sit in on in the past, I am always surprised by the different choices people make with the characters.  Some of them have completely blown me away.  Some of them have made me cringe.  Which is what we deal with.  

Actors are strange people.  Just by definition alone.  They are judged immediately by the way they look.  They are constantly rejected in life.  A normal actor will be rejected 50 times before possibly finally getting a part - a part credited as "Screaming Woman #2".  If anything else, for those who do get their "big break", it never lasts very long.  They make a living essentially pretending to be someone that they are not.  It is very difficult to be an actor and not only know who you are yourself, but also deal with all the rejection in your life.  Those that can act successfully, as well as live life successfully, are the ones that I think are the best actors.  

I am the type of person, that really gets wrapped up emotionally with characters in TV shows or movies.  I can so easily transport myself to the place that these characters are, and I love just getting to know certain characters.  The best movies to me are ones that are driven by the interesting characters, not all the explosions and special effects.  As I've watched each of these people show us their own take on these characters, I realized something.  There were a few times, that I was completely drawn into their character.  I know the story, I know the script, I even know the way it's supposed to sound.  But sitting there, looking through the camera lens, with bad lighting, a terrible background, no props, wardrobe, music, nor a real character to read against, a few of these people completely drew me in to their characters.  It was pretty cool.  So kudos to those people.  That takes talent, if you ask me.  Those are the people I want to see in the movie.  

exciting news - Kerry Livgren!

Well it is official.  

We have signed on Kerry Livgren to be a part of the cast.  

You know Kerry.  He wrote the classic songs "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind" as part of the band Kansas.  He actually wrote them.  

I'll be honest about something here.  I do not claim to be a music buff.  When my boss had originally mentioned his interest in signing on Kerry - I nodded along with him and figured that I would find out who he was eventually.  Within seconds, Dan realized that I had no idea who Kerry was and set me straight.  "You've never heard the song Carry on Wayward Son?!".  He then proceeded to sing the first few bars of the piece.  Like the old cliche of the light bulb coming on, I immediately realized who it was.  I had not only heard the song, but I knew the words.  I even knew how to play it on the guitar.  Well, the guitar in the form of a Guitar Hero controller.  

And thus I show my young age.  

But!  Thanks to the wonderful Guitar Hero game, I not only know who Kerry is, but I am super excited that he is part of the cast.  Now I can really appreciate him in a completely new way.  

So, our cast is rounding out to be quite fantastic.  Kevin Max and Kerry Livgren.  Who would have guessed?