Production Diary

Old Trailers, New Year

John — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 05:19:50 +0000

As post production winds down, and a new year approaches, I felt it would be good to take a moment and reflect on where this project was a year ago. It was just an outline and a fake trailer. One weekend while writing the script, I got the idea to make a fake trailer for the film to give IndiePix an idea of the mood and feel I wanted the film to have. I called up Brandon and made a shot list from the scenes that were already starting to take shape. We got my family together and shot all the footage in a weekend…it was done and sent to IndiePix by Monday. It’s interesting to me that a lot of my original visual ideas made it through the year long process of making it. Guess that’s a good thing.:-) The new “real” Trailer will be up soon and I’ll be sure to plaster it everywhere.

As for other things in the world of TBTK. Many screeners of the fine cut have been sent out to friends and festivals. Some great notes have been returned, and to those who took a moment…THANKS A MILLION! I will post any festival news as soon as I know. The test screening also went well a few Sundays ago. It was nice to have a private viewing for those in the know and those outside the loop. Great feedback and great reactions…it’s nice to know that it makes sense…finally a film that makes sense. Thanks a million to Derek from the Saratoga Film Forum for staying after hours and running the place for us. Keep an eye out at the forum for some of the best films being shown in Saratoga. It truly is an amazing resource!

Cheers
John

Out of the Fog at the Museum

John — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 05:18:15 +0000

The one film that started it all, is now posted up everywhere and on this site. “Fog” was a short film I shot in 2004 right out of college. We shot it in one weekend with all my friends from the Maine Workshops. (I worked there for 8 months right out of school.) It was shot with the Panasonic SDX-900 and was my first real experience with video as a possible substitute for film. I originally did it to get the feeling of change, alienation, and uncertainty out of my guts. Looking back I see that it was a very key film…it cemented the feeling that I wanted to make films, not just work on other peoples films. Since Maine, and this experience, I’ve made it a priority to continue making films and grow as a filmmaker.

Which leads us to the other short I’ve posted up everywhere. “Museum” is a slice of life, one shot, short film I did for The Best of the Capital Region in May. It was the first time really directing my family members, and a great way for Kurt, (my Steadicam guy) my parents, and I, to all collaborate on something before the start of the big summer shooting schedule. Both my parents work at the NYS Museum and when I come to visit this is usually the story that unfolds. It was great to be included as one of the area filmmakers and it was great to see what everyone came up with. We have quite the talented area…come visit us sometime.:-)

Cheers
John

Fairies and Robots

John — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:04:56 +0000

So my associate producer/former co-worker/bud Brandon Bethmann is making a feature. It’s kind of mumblecore, kind of a zombie film, and a labor of love for Brandon. It is certainly not his first time at the helm of a feature film (IMDB page) but it’s the first time working in this genre. I’ve been helping as DP and so far the shoots have been relaxed, productive breaks from my everyday life. Let’s congratulate him on joining us in being artsy-fartsy. I’ll post a little video too.:-)

I put the “Holy fuck that was quick,” back in change

John — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:13:33 +0000

Finished the rough cut
Sent it out for notes
Got good notes
Finished the fine cut and sent screeners out
Notes are coming in
Test Screening Nov 23rd at the Saratoga Film Forum…7PM
Barack won
Got two tickets
Got in a car accident
Started two more projects
Wrote an outline for feature 3
Going back to school
Leaving job
New aprtment
Less drinking
Helped Raeanne with new apartment
Helped Toonces like new apartment
Shooting Brandon’s feature film
House warming party November 22nd…my house
Have hope for the first time in a long time

Cheers
John

The grocery store was soooo quiet.

John — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:57:31 +0000

I went to the store to buy a few things. No one was smiling…no one was talking…it was an eerie experience. I hope this has gotten people to think. I hope it doesn’t take much more for people to understand how important this presidential election is. I hope it makes people rethink their priorities. I believe in people…I hope we can all believe in each other.

Cheers
John

It’s going good…I swear…

John — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:35:04 +0000

I’ve found that when you make a film that most of your family and friends either know about or are starring in, you tend to hear the question, “How’s the film coming?” OR, my favorite… “You’re making a film or something….right”? It’s true. I am making a film and it is going good… I swear. I felt strange all last month; I felt a pain that constantly grew every time I was asked those questions. This pain/feeling grew until I was finally burnt out completely and had to take a four-day break. What was the pain? Longing. A longing to go back to set, to be scheduling shoots, gathering scenes, and working with the cast and crew. This “hell-on-earth” thing they call post-production was either not meant for me or meant for someone with a more meticulous brain. I like working in abstracts, metaphors, and ideas… not computers and software. BUT I’m getting ahead of myself… It’s going great… I truly swear…

Rough cuts have been handed out, twenty minutes have been shaved off that rough cut, great notes have been written and read, and I am VERY happy with some of the results. After the break I now welcome those questions because now I have something to answer with now that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m looking forward to the final product and the next film shoot…

Cheers,
John

It’s been awhile…

John — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 02:24:18 +0000

And for the 4 people that read this blog…I’m sorry… Mom, I’m sorry for the delay in posts.

It’s been a good two weeks and the rough cut is now done and delivered to the powers that be. Time to celebrate and think about the future. Test screenings, final color timings, and sound mixes. But for now, it’s just me and the film. Me and…me, basically. I’m very happy with the progress so far, but spending everyday face to face with my family and our issues can sometimes have a burning-out effect. Another thing that has a burning out effect…reading every blog, from every blogger in independent film, and debating whether or not Indie film is dead. It’s time to stop humping the dead horse and move on. Some people say film is not an art of the 21st century. I disagree. The way we access the art of film now is a 20th century thing. Lets find a 21st century way of enjoying, distributing, and making the art of film…don’t give up so quickly.

Cheers,
John

Rob Drury, The Man Behind the Legend

Neil — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:06:53 +0000

You know him as one of the guys who recorded the soundtrack. Now check out robs earlier work as a film student by clicking the link below.

http://www.vimeo.com/708829

what a sexy guy

Soundtrack Update

Neil — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:29:12 +0000

Here I am sitting in Pete’s living room waiting for him and Rob to come record and I realized a few things. My current job is not a typical job. It doesn’t have the normal 9-5 day attached to it. It can be done from most anywhere including a café, which is where I am actually doing most of my work. It also makes me realize that soon I will have to find that 9-5 job or something like it, as well as a place to live. Hopefully I’ll be lucky again in both regards.

The recording has had its ups and downs with several technical glitches. Security cameras were set up as soon as we arrived. Unfortunately, I only had a short time with them as the laptop was needed for recording. For some reason John’s computer did not allow us to do anything to the music after it had been recorded. Thankfully we had the laptop to fall back on.

I’m putting up a song that I captured through the security cameras on Vimeo . Due to technical difficulties however, it was not recorded for the soundtrack. I will also be posting a 5×5 video. 5×5 videos are five, five-second clips, sort of a video haiku. So be on the lookout for the videos and maybe you can catch a sneak peak at the music that will be in the film.

Embrace Change

Neil — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:56:46 +0000

After visiting the Thousand Islands I came to a realization, about change. I thought it would come to me later when I was 80 cursing the neighbor kids because they were playing in my yard or bothering me with some new technology. Little did I know that at the ripe old age of 22 I’d be confronted with the stark differences between my memory and the current condition of those people and places.

If you read my blog about Point Peninsula you’ll know its importance and the impact it has had on me. However, when I visited this last week things have changed. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, it has been several years since I had been there. I was surprised though and a little let down. It seems some of these changes are due to the raise in gas prices and the slow down of travelers. The busy country towns, restaurants, and even our old camp became a shell of what it used to be, losing the richness that can only come with memory.

I suppose this has been happening to me throughout my life, such as the change from high school to college and relationships with friends throughout. I just never noticed it as much since I never really separated from it for an extended period of time like with Point Peninsula.

From now on things will continue to change at a rapid rate. My goal is not to notice these changes because it seems as though bad changes are the only change noted or dwelled upon. I suppose I can’t expect good change without taking the unwelcomed change with it.

I’m hoping that when I finally get to 80 I will be able to look at those kids on my lawn or new technology favorably as the world keeps changing no matter my opinion. Perhaps someday I can make some changes of my own. I can only hope that this constant change moves the world in a positive direction.