new script

the script is changing. It's become funny... no more hard core drama for me - no more indie-sensibility-life-sucks-then-you- find-out-the-main-character's-a-pedophile-and-it-gets-into-sundance films for me. This one is going to be funny and sexy and probably very weak in the technical area (I'm still quite the neophyte in sound - one of only two film set jobs I've never actually been paid for - the other is make-up) but that's as it may be...

I'm writing and enjoying it more.

Oh - we're going to shoot again on Dec 11...

Uh-oh

So the plan was to shoot again - up at a cabing in the mountains - but...

Sarah (her character name) went into early labor - a month early - and is on bed rest and such and now I'm rewriting. Cause I ain't got my female lead to shoot.

Well, since I didn't start with a whole script to begin with I guess it's not that big a deal - gotta toss about 30 pages. hmmm....

Time to think.

What do I have?

Think of locations, cars, houses, where can I shoot where I don't need

a permit,
a caterer
a honeywagon
cops
fire
Money

after the first weekend

So here's the update. Things, things, things have happened and I'm so far behind on this blog I can't even conceive of where to start. Where to start, where to - START?


Man - my last entry - which I just looked at - was before the first day of shooting.

Here's how it went.

OUCH!!!

Take -

1 director
1 DP
1 sound man/boom man/ actor
2 actors
1 extra
1 apartment
1 camera (DVX100)
5 lights
3 c-stands
a few rolls of tape
and

way too many pages of script and try to shoot a movie.

It actually went really well. Much better than I expected but I was exhausted at the end of it. We shot for two days and it was way too much. almost killed me. I was exhausted at the end of it. Thinking of characters and shots and coverage and filming/videoing the whole damn thing - and setting lights and stands and everything - was totally exhausting. A crew of two - is two too few.

yeesh.

All that being said - I made some decisions. the script - as it played out - without rehearsals mind you - something that is a first for me - well - a second - but I don't think those love scenes needed rehearsal - you know? I guess you don't because I haven't really let you in on my background - have I? Hang on - let me check the blog...

Nope -guess I haven't - I'll save that.

Where was I? Decisions - the film - as it's playing out is damn dark - and that's not really my style. It was torturous for me. Scary - got way too into my head. Sarah (i'm calling them by their character names) turned out to be a great actress - she was a friend from Burning Man - but I had not had her act yet and she turned out to be great and sexy - even 8 months pregnant - which I never expected because I AIN'T into that - and her character just ate away at me and I didn't sleep - and when I did I was dreaming about the damn story. Which made it all that much tougher.

So I'm going to change a few things. but more on that later. Right?

Found the gun

With our weekend shoot looming upon us - I went digging in a box in my closet looking for the air gun I bought for the OTHER film. It was there and I now have a key prop.

Busy today. Have to rent a wide angle lens adapter, buy some tapes, pick up a mic and lights my friend R is lending me and scout a location.

And get my daughter off to day care.

Have I mention we're making this movie for $0. That's right - no money - just a bunch of friends getting together and shooting some scenes.

Meeting

Had my first meeting yesterday with the two leads. They're both friends. We discussed my 38 pages of script and where it might go and when. We're shooting the first few scenes this weekend, which means that we are literally writing it as we shoot it. BUT I figure since most STUDIO films seem like they were made that way anyway, we should hit big with this one. You never know.

Shooting in Scott's (the character name) apartment. Two characters for most of it and I'll play a third part.

I was worried about shooting Sarah naked - or relatively so - but she's up for it. Good, good, good. I think it will help make the film. Not a lot of pregnant women naked in movies these days.

Now I just have to build a steadicam and find a prop gun. I may still have one in a closet from the last movie. hmmm...

Sitting and blazin' and writing and tearing out what little

hair I have left. Blazin' away on my new G5 which I bought primarily to cut the wedding videos I'm doing to support my indie film habit - and my family - I decided to do an indie film.

Here's what I had - have:
a camera - Pana DVX100
The G5
Final Cut Pro HD
a pregnant actress friend
and a few others willing to do something just to have fun.

Of course we're doing it without a SAG contract - which is the only way we can AFFORD to do this at the moment.

What, where, when - who

Hey, if anyone's reading this - are you? Hello?

I'm a filmmaker and this is called film garage because I make films in - my garage. I used to make films on HOLLYWOOD LOTS - and made a lot of stuff back when I was hourly wage grunt schlepping camera gear and pulling focus. But I gave that up - working for the man, as it was, and have gone into the realms of INDEPENDENT film and even a little late-night skinemax soft core (shhh. don't tell anyone.)

but now I'm down in the garage making films and videos and all kinds of crap on my Panasonic DVX100 and cutting them on my brand spanking new 1.8 dual G5. I had to step up after my 400 mhz G4 just finally threw up it's cyber hands and said - sorry - can't do this anymore.

But I've started on two projects are of interest. More on that as we go.