The Good Soldier - Notes 25 - More Festival Submissions & Stuff

This is kind of a dead period right now. It's a waiting game to see which festivals select the film as part of their show.

Good news bad news: got the word from Sundance - no go. Got the word from Slamdance, also no go. That's the bad news, I guess. But it was such a LONG shot. I mean, Sundance had 9800 submissions in the short film category alone and they selected 200. Slamdance had 5400 short film entries and selected only 100. Those are some sucky odds. But I'm not sweating it. This is a Super 8 film - I don't think either of those festivals are really the market for this type of film. I'm really hoping for a more artsy type festival - something a little more underground. With that in mind I submitted to a few more festivals.

I sent the film to a film festival in Brooklyn that screens films on rooftops - cool idea and right up my alley (see RPS). It's also going to the Dam Short Film Festival in Boulder City, Nevada. Sent it to the U.S. Super 8 Film and Digital Video Festival at Rutgers University in New Jersey; The Method Fest Independent Film Festival in El Segundo, CA; The United Film Festival series which includes several major cities.

And of course I couldn't pass up an opportunity to send it to South-by-Southwest Film Festival in Austin and last but not least the deadCENTER film festival here in OKC. I'm saving the big OKC metro debut for deadCENTER, that is, if they'll have me.

***
I am still having some issues with the music licensing side of things. They sure make it difficult to do business. I think the only organization with more hoops to jump through would have to be the U.S. government. Seriously. Do these people want to be paid for songs or not? I'm getting pretty discouraged with getting the licensing lined up. Seems like I've made all the right contacts and have some agreements here and there but each entity makes their agreement contingent upon someone elses concurrence. Frankly, it is probably good that things are still up in the air. Nothing needs to go into effect until I have a scheduled festival to show.

***
I have some other content I am working on and have even been encouraged to write or include as a DVD commentary some information about the process of making the film - sort of an educational look at doing a narrative short in Super 8.

***
Finally, I have plans to host an exclusive cast and crew showing very soon. Stay tuned.

The Good Soldier - Notes 24 - Submitted to 5 More Festivals

The Good Soldier - Notes 23 - Music Licensing (& what I've learned so far)

I am in the midst of yet another educational opportunity. Little did I know at the outset of this project, the nuances of music licensing for film. Sure, I knew a few things - generalities really - but what I am experiencing now is a crash-course in "How To License Music For Film."

The Good Soldier has an original score (beautifully composed by Anne-Vale Brittan, I might add) that I have permission to use, so there is no issue there. In fact, I will say up-front that creating your own music or finding/hiring someone outright to do an original piece is probably easier than all this licensing stuff. But even that has it's host of issues.

There are two songs in the film, both from the 1940s, and both require licensing. At first when I downloaded them from http://archive.org (my favorite website), I thought - AWESOME - free music! Wrong. Just because they were found for free does not necessarily make them free. Be careful in making those kind of assumptions.

I want this post to serve as a primer, of sorts, to those trying to do the same thing I am doing; license music for film festivals and possible distribution. Please keep in mind that this is something I am going through right now and I am still learning - so there may be some adjustments made to the post later depending on what happens.

There were some things that I was forewarned about early on: 1) the music industry has been known to take their time - your deadlines are not their deadlines. To a large extent I have found this to be true - with one exception, which I will get to later. 2) Customer service (i.e. being nice) is not what the music industry is known for - so don't be surprised if people get pissy with you. 3) Don't expect to get ANYTHING for free - if you think something is public domain - you're probably wrong - in fact, you probably owe someone money for the song you are about to use and you just don't know it. Do your research, make some calls, find out what you don't know and you'll be better off for it. Information is out there you just have to be willing to learn about it.

Here's the deal with public domain - "There are no sound recordings in the Public Domain in the USA. If you need a music recording - even a recording of a public domain song - you will either have to record it yourself or license a Royalty Free Music recording." (Source: Public Domain Info Project)

So where do you begin?
Take a song, any song. If you have the album you already have a lot of information about it. There are two things you need to know: who the publisher is (or sometimes songwriter) and who did the recording. The publisher/songwriter and performer can be looked up on the ASCAP website using their ACE search tool. If you can't find it there you may look at SESAC or BMI. On the ASCAP website (which is where I found my film's songs) it will give you the contact information of the publisher. Use this information to contact the publisher by phone or find them on the internet and contact them through their online form or email. Publishers want things in writing so even if you call them they will still ask you to submit a form in writing to them.

If you know the recording company - great - you're one step ahead of where I am. I am still searching for the original recording of both of my songs. I think they are owned now by Sony-BMG (which purchased the original Columbia recordings) - but I don't know for sure yet. You will need to contact the record company too, same as the publishing company.

Who am I paying for the licensing?
You pay the publisher for the song rights and the record company for the recording rights. Here's another kicker: music publishers and record companies act on a "most favored nations basis". Let's say you strike a deal with the publisher for $500 for synch rights, worldwide, for festivals. Then you contact the record company and they want to charge you $750 - well, under the most favored nations clause the publisher will raise their price to $750 to match the record company. If my hunch is right, the price always moves up, not down.

What are the licensing terms?
Terms of the license are based on a number of things: how you intend to use the song in the film, where you use the song, how many times, the duration of the song. It's also based on if you want the film to tour in the US or take it to international festivals. Price seems to double if you are going worldwide. It's also based on the popularity of the song, how it's been used in the past, and how the song fits with the film. And probably a number of other things they don't tell us about. If you intend to distribute (sell) the film they'll want to know how many copies you are going to produce and where (territory) you will be selling them. Then there is an up-front payment based on the number of copies produced.

What do the record companies and publishers need to know about your film?
Just about everything. The title, the story, the duration and how the song fits in with it. If you are using a song on the opening credits or the end credits, expect to pay more.

All this is great info but why would I pay for music?
Because I've heard stories of a person sitting in the audience at a film festival, they hear a song on the film and realize - that's their Great Uncle's song! And they wonder if Uncle So-And-So knows that his song is in a movie so they give him a call. And amazingly, he had no idea that his song was in that movie - no one ever told him or received permission. And that's too bad because, by the way, the movie sucked and it really misrepresented the song. So he decides to call up his record company and take action. Next thing you know you've paid an attorney $25K for services and reached a settlement.

That's just one reason. There are others. Bottom line is you are breaking the law if you don't license music appropriately and risk getting sued big-time.

***
As far as where I am in the process, I've heard from the publisher of one song and received a quote - $250 for one year of licensing within the US for festivals. I've had great luck with this particular publisher and they (the company) has been very responsive and helpful. They responded quickly to my inquiry and appear willing to work with me.

I am waiting to hear back from the record company and see what their price is going to be - I'm guessing the $250 range per song. I am also waiting for Warner-Chappell music to call me back with an estimate on the other song. In all, I'm guessing that it's going to cost me somewhere around $1000 in total to use the songs in the film (for one year in festivals). My experience thus far has been good.

Yes, I had an initial sticker shock.

You always come back to the question: is it worth it? And what are my alternatives?
That's really a question that you have to weigh for yourself and your project. In terms of this film, I feel it is worth it. Music licensing is something I completely overlooked in my initial film budget - but it was one of those variable that I didn't know how to quantify so I cast it to the back of my mind, at the time. In the future, I will be better prepared and anticipate the licensing issue.

There are alternatives to licensing the two songs: I could choose to not use the songs at all or I could work the original score into other sections of the film. But the songs are genuine 1940s pieces and they add an authentic element to the film that I really want - I feel that progress the story and the tone. So for me, it is important enough to accept the cost and include them.

On an editorial note, I don't think many individual filmmakers understand the ins-and-outs of the music industry and licensing. It's not something we want to deal with or think about. Furthermore, the music industry as a whole makes it difficult to license films. If there were a central clearing-house that was sort of a one-stop-shop it would be much easier and I think filmmakers would be more likely to follow through on licensing. Unfortunately, it is difficult to follow the rules because it's not clear what they are, communication with the publishers/record companies is lacking, and every company seems to have their own protocol.

Hopefully, this post has been helpful to someone out there in the same boat as I.

Here are some helpful links to get you going:
ASCAP
SESAC
All Music
Sound Exchange http://www.pdinfo.com/index.php
Public Domain Information Project

The Good Soldier - Notes 22 - GOAL ACHIEVED - Submitted to Sundance

Let's go back to November, 2008 when I posted this. At that time this was nothing more than an idea. That's it. An idea. I came up with this wild idea to write and produce a film with the ultimate goal of submitting it to Sundance by the deadline for the 2010 exhibition. Yesterday, that goal became a reality when the film was received by Sundance on the final day for short film submissions.

The amount of money I spent pursuing this dream was nothing compared to what I gained from the experience. This was my film school.

People ask me, "Where did you come up with the idea to make a movie?" I don't know how to answer this. It's always been there. It's just something that I have always wanted to do. Those of you who are climbers understand this drive in terms of climbing: what makes you want to climb? It's just desire. What more can explain it?

I learned more about the process of filmmaking, creating, directing, and cinematography than I have in all of the books and articles I've read and classes/seminars I've attended. There is no education like experience.

I have to thank everyone that has so generously dedicated their time, their resources, their advice, their insight, their knowledge and their energy into this project. I am indebted to you all and look forward to helping you with your creative endeavors. I sincerely thank you - you deserve an enormous amount of credit for everything you've done and I hope that, in some way, this film, this experience, is a means to propel you in the direction of your own goals.

For those of you out there considering making your own movie - either in film or video (I've made clear that there is a difference, right?) - I hope that this online journal has provided some idea of what the process is like. I know when I started searching online for information about the day-to-day activities that occur in the making of a film i found it difficult to find much online. Most sites and books cover the bigger picture of shooting a movie - and those are great, as well as necessary - but sometimes you want more on-the-ground nitty-gritty information about what it's really like and what you can expect. Undoubtedly, every project is going to be slightly different in terms of the experience - this was just my experience - but maybe knowing my experience will make it less like driving in fog when you head out on the road to make your own film (sorry for the corny metaphor).

All of that said....let's move on.
This is only the beginning. I want people to see this thing!

I'm working on more film festival submissions. And I'm working on securing music rights for a couple of songs in the film. After that is settled I will begin showing the film locally and (hopefully) some indie-distribution. My goal was never to make money on the film - but I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice to pay myself back for my efforts! Plus, it could mean the chance to make another film. But let's not get ahead of ourselves....

The Good Soldier - Notes 21 - Music Score, More Editing, and Sundance

At this point I'm really too tired to write anything. But you can tell by the title of this post that a lot is going on. I've been working on the film nearly all day every day this week. We recorded the score on Thursday night. It adds an entirely new dimension to the film. It's amazing.

I am holding a private test screening for a few people. This should help me get an idea of the type of reactions the film generates. After that I may make more changes before the next festival submission.

The deadline for Sundance is Monday and it looks now that I WILL have it there on time.

More later...

The Good Soldier - Notes 20 - Rough Cut Complete

Spent hours yesterday staring at the computer screen, editing like mad. The result is a finished rough cut of the film. It checks in at 26:56. A rough cut is basically what it sounds like; it's an assembled version of the film from start to finish. The dialogue is present but lacks polish, there are no titles, no credits, most of the sound f/x and the music/score are missing, and very little audio mixing. So why is this meaningful at all? Because all the major shots are there and the story is told from beginning to end. It gives me (and others) and good working copy of the film from which to complete the remaining elements.

This morning I met with Anne-Vale, the woman composing and overseeing the creation of the score for the film. I presented her with the rough cut and she will use this to complete the musical elements.

The actual score will be recorded on Thursday, 9/17 and I will be there. Can't wait to experience that part of the process.

So the work that remains includes creating and adding sound f/x, adding the score, mixing the audio, doing some further editing and rearranging to cut some time out of the film (I'd like to get it below the 25 minute mark), and adding titles and credits. I also have a bit of additional ADR work which means a brief session in the studio again. Finally, I need to burn it to DVD and prepare the submission forms.

More good news - caught a break in terms of the Sundance deadline. Apparently, I was looking at the deadline schedule for 2009 instead of the 2010 festival. It is actually on Monday, 9/21. This opens up a small doorway for me to have the film there by the deadline.

So the plan is to hammer away at editing this week - get everything in place and polished. Get the score on Thursday evening. Add it on Friday. Maybe do some more fixing up on Friday and even Saturday. Have a test viewing on Saturday. Any additional corrections on Sunday along with burning the disc. Submit it same-day-air to LA on the final deadline date on Monday.

The Good Soldier - Notes 19 - Still Editing

This is what editing in Final Cut Pro looks like.

Today I made amazing progress. I edited footage from the end of scene 12 up through scene 28, that's out of a total of 33 scenes. Some scenes are longer than others - technically speaking - some are more sequences than scenes. Number 33 is the longest and most involved because it contains so many different elements.

I have synced together a good portion of the dialog along with the footage, it makes it easier to select the best takes and get a feel for the story. The sound quality is going to need some additional work in terms of mixing and layering in sound f/x and music. But I am getting closer with each step. It's beginning to look like an actual film!

The first deadline and my original goal (to submit to Sundance for 2010) is quickly approaching - it's Sept 19. I think I can have the film cut by then but the score is another story. There's some issues with reserving recording space that may or may not work out. I'm at the point now where I can see that this project IS going to get done. Now it's just a matter of, will it be done this month or next month?

The next big festival that I am planning on entering is Slamdance. It runs the same time as Sundance (and also in Park City, UT) but their regular deadline is Sept 30 and then their late entry deadline is Oct 30. So I'm confident that I can hit the Oct one at the latest and maybe even the Sept one. Another thing: in my research of the two festivals I think Slamdance may be the better festival for this film and for me. It is geared for new filmmakers, they accept more shorts, and generally speaking, it seems like a way more laid-back festival and perhaps a better first-time festival experience. I probably have a better shot at getting it accepted at Slamdance too.

So does that mean I'm giving up on Sundance? Well, not really. We'll just see how it goes - if it gets done in time, it gets done in time, if not, so be it.

The Good Soldier - Notes 18 - Editing begins

Editing officially began last night. Out of 1.5 hours of work I got 1 minute of (un)finished footage. That ain't a good ratio. But I was sort of just messing around with different cuts - trying to refresh my memory about how editing goes. Once I get moving I think things will go fairly well.

After today I will know better what to expect.

As far as the sound - there are several places where I need to do some foley work.

So I'm going to get to work now...

The Good Soldier - Notes 17 - Film Processed & Transferred!

From The Good Soldier Production Photos

Let me see if I can put all of this into perspective. I had this idea. I wrote this story. I found some brilliant and motivated people to help. I shot this movie and learned a ton.

I just returned from Burbank, CA where I saw the developed film for the first time. I sat in on the transfer process where they take the film from its "film" version to a digitized copy; files on a hard drive.

I sat in amazement as I watched reel after reel of incredible black and white footage scroll by. I am so impressed what this collaborative effort of filmmaker, cast, and crew has brought us.

The entire staff at Yale Film & Video did an awesome job and I am so grateful that I selected them to develop and transfer the film. I especially must thank Keith, the owner of Yale Film & Video, who really went out of his way to welcome me. Everyone at Yale was very friendly and professional. I look forward to future projects with them.

Visiting with the Yale crew has only reinforced my belief that, regardless of the progression of the digital revolution, HD and RED cameras, there is a special place for FILM and what film can do and offer as an artistic expression of life and story. I would truly hate to see the film labs of the world go by the wayside because of digital. Keith and I had a discussion about this during lunch. Cameras and the medium they shoot are nothing more than tools, much like brushes and paint, and picking the right tool for the project is important. Sometimes that tool is digital. But sometimes that tool is film.

I am a bit bias I suppose, I have a deep-rooted and heart-felt tie to the medium of film, more so than digital. I feel more expression, more life, more realism in the medium. Not to mention more challenge. That's not to disqualify digital, I think it has its place and its uses, which is why I use it too, but one can never forget the history of film and the power of it.

From The Good Soldier Production Photos

I think people are sometimes scared of film. What if it doesn't turn out? What if it comes back blurry? Out of focus? Completely black? These are all legitimate fears - and ones that I encountered first-hand. My first test footage was shite. But part of making something look good has to do with a learning curve. Too many times I think people get a hold of a top-of-the-line digital camera and automatically think: I'm a filmmaker (or photographer) now.

I remember having this discussion/argument way back in high school when I worked in the film/video studies program and our high school "news" channel. Someone would say, "Let's go make a film about...," and I would correct them with, "You mean video." And though it got on my friends' nerves, the more I repeated it the more they realized, there IS a real difference. FILM IS NOT VIDEO. Film is a physical and chemical process. Video is a magnetic and digital (i.e. numbers) process. They are different and the end result is not the same.

***

From The Good Soldier Production Photos

But, wow. I am incredibly off topic now.

What I really want to say is that the footage looks incredible! Sure, there were scenes that didn't turn out as well as I thought but I think I have enough to work with.

Burbank was a great experience and I am forever grateful that I was lucky enough to experience that part of the process.

Now, the editing begins! Stay tuned and stick with me. We're going to Sundance, baby!

The Good Soldier - Notes 16 - IT'S A WRAP!

From The Good Soldier Production Photos

Yesterday (Monday, 8/17/09) was a milestone for both the film and myself. We completed the film production phase on The Good Soldier. The film is already on its way to California for processing and transfer. And I am on my way tomorrow as well - to San Diego for a vacation.

I will spend Friday in Burbank at Yale Film & Video supervising the transfer of the film to digital. By the days end I should have the entire digitized film on hard drive and the actual film on reels.

The shoot yesterday went really well. We had two scenes at two different locations. We started at the gym for the first scene. There was almost a continuity issue but luckily Erik caught the fact that some characters were wearing gloves in previous scenes and we'd forgotten them in the scene we were shooting. Thankfully he caught it in time for us to quickly re-shoot the scene, this time with gloves on.

From The Good Soldier Production Photos

Then we rushed down to Norman for the second scene. The "bedroom scene," as we are calling it, went really well. Thanks to "Dr. Joe" for letting us use his house - it was the perfect location - I couldn't have asked for better. It was a fun scene to shoot - maybe a little awkward for the two characters but they both did an awesome job and we all had fun making jokes about the whole situation. We even had time to play a little Rock Band.

Oh yeah, one more thing - we finally had a light burn out. Just before shooting the bedroom scene one of the lights fizzled. I guess we lucked out that it happened on the LAST shot. That's one piece of advice I never took: always have extra bulbs. Next time I will.

There are some more pictures from the film uploaded to the Picasa site - scroll down for the latest ones.

The Good Soldier - Notes 15 - Time-lapse sunset shoot

From The Good Soldier Production Photos

Yesterday, Sunday (8/16/09), I visited a location in Sutton Wilderness in Norman, OK for some sunset shots for the film. I set up two cameras and ran them at different speeds and heights (off the ground). Camera one was run at 1 frame per 5 seconds, camera two was run at 1 frame per 20 seconds. Both cameras were operated for about one hour from the same position. This is partly experimental considering it was my first time to shoot time-lapse. It was a beautiful sunset with drifting clouds and a brilliant evening glow. Hard to know what it will look like in black and white.

From The Good Soldier Production Photos

From The Good Soldier Production Photos

From The Good Soldier Production Photos

Today marks the final day of shooting. I have two scenes remaining. By the end of today it will be a complete wrap on the (film) production. Still some folly sound to be done and the soundtrack is currently in production. More reports to come.

Finally, I received word today from Yale that the film they received last week (36 rolls) has been developed and "looks good." That's all I know. I won't know the details until I see it myself on Friday.

The Good Soldier - Notes 14 - 87.5 minutes & counting

I currently have 87.5 minutes of black and white super 8 film in the can for The Good Soldier and there are just a handful of scenes remaining. The 35 rolls of film was sent to Yale Film & Video in Burbank, CA yesterday for processing and transfer to digital.

For those of you unfamiliar with film, that means I have seen none of the footage shot - it's not like digital, you can't see what you've shot immediately after shooting it. It will not be until August 21st when I actually go to the lab in Burbank to see what I've created. Until then, it's still in my mind.

When I visit the lab I will not only get to see the processed film but I will get to be there for the transfer to digital and be involved in that process. This was just an added bonus - it just so happened that our vacation to Cali coincided with the lab work - so lucky me. I love the fact that I get to have this added hands-on experience.

I've already begun going through all the recorded sound files; those recorded on set and in studio. And I've started working on titles and organizing the project. It's a lot to do. There are all of these individual pieces that must be reassembled to meet the script and tell a story on screen. It already feels like writing again - but this time I know the story and how it ends I just have to show it. In editing it is equally difficult to take all of this footage - almost 1.5 hours worth - and distill it down to a 20 minute film. That's a lot of choices to make and a lot of leftover material.

Post-production will officially begin when I return from California. Hopefully, I will not have any re-shoots. A re-shoot is just what it sounds like: when you have to re-shoot a scene because either the footage didn't turned out or you are missing a key component for some reason.

***
So out next (and final) shooting date is Monday, August 17th. We have two locations to visit and two very important scenes to shoot.

The Good Soldier - Notes 13 - Saturday Wrap!

Original logo/art by Seth Capshaw

Today was a hard day. It was hot. It was windy. How can it be so windy yet still be so hot? It's like working in a convection oven. But that's Oklahoma in August.

The scenes we shot today took place on a rooftop and in the upper head-house/tower of the silos. Setup took some time because we had to get all the equipment up ladders and in odd locations. It was a combination of trying to get the right lighting but at the same time hiding the lights and cords - and still make it all look natural. But that's film.

All this was done with a mere three person crew - including the lead actor! It was a skeleton crew to say the least but it seemed to work given the obstacles and precarious positions we were dealing with. But the shots today may be some of the best in the film - given the locations and the unbelievable angles. There is an overhead shot in particular that's going to look like a $50K crane-shot. I love cheating shots like these - people wonder, "How the hell did they get THAT shot?"

Brian, the lead, is a trooper. It's a good thing he is as adventurous as he is - and that he's not afraid of heights. "You think you can get up there and stand on the edge?" I'd ask him. "Sure," he'd say. I was more nervous about it than he. It's not a good thing if you accidentally kill off your lead actor. "Oh, by the way, that board up there, make sure you don't stand on it, it's rotted and you could fall through."

Most people would have packed it in by now. Not Brian, I think the danger just excites him more.

It was the middle of the day and we found ourselves lugging and hauling production equipment over 100 feet up - by ladder. All this for what? 2 minutes of film, maybe. But those shots - I can't wait to see them.

Saturday's shoot went great, despite the heat and profuse sweating. All that's left are two short (but essential) scenes that we'll shoot, hopefully on the August 17th.

The film shot thus far is going in the mail on Monday morning to be processed. The plan is to pick up the remaining shots and get it to Yale Film/Video in Burbank quickly - either by mail or by hand....

Another stroke of luck: we're going to San Diego on the 19th. During the trip I'm making a special trip up the coast to Burbank to be present the lab for the film transfer! I'm psyched about this - it means that I will have input during the transfer and get to make adjustments to the brightness and contrast. Not to mention I will have my very first look at the film then and there!

The Good Soldier - Notes 12 - Production Photos

We've got quite a few pictures from the production shoot last weekend. I am uploading them to my Picassa album. See them here.

As for what remains, we have a couple of scenes that we are shooting tomorrow morning. These are scenes that we had left over from the main shooting days. The plan was to shoot them on Thursday but it was raining so we had to push the date back a bit.

After this I have one more day of shooting - August 17th - and it's just a couple of scenes with "Miss June."

In the meantime, all the film up through Saturday's shoot will be shipped off to Yale Film & Video in Burbank for processing and transfer. I'm hoping (if I can find an affordable plane ticket) to go out to Burbank so I can be there during the telecine process. That will allow me to give input on elements of the transfer and possibly make adjustments to the light when needed.

The Good Soldier - Notes 11 - In Production

So we are 2 days into production on The Good Soldier and everything is going well. Not that I am entirely sure what it is really supposed to feel like because I would not consider myself an expert on film production shoots, but by the accounts of the cast and crew people seem to be pleased with our progress. Apparently I've done a good job in getting my shit together and being somewhat organized in terms of pre-production. Sustaining that organization through production has been the primary role of our script supervisor, Lisa, also my wife. I knew she would do great at that.

Driving to the film shoot early Saturday morning I remember thinking: by the end of the day I'm going to know what it feels like to shoot a movie.

That morning we started off pretty slow. At the outset we had forgotten a couple of important items that we had to make special trips for and there was some time spent in just gearing up and establishing the scene. It was a good idea to just work with the main character on the first day, and we made good progress. Still, we were somewhat behind schedule - based on my overly ambitious shooting schedule. It was really my fault for beefing it up so much. But in retrospect there were no major screw-ups and we made it from shot to shot quite nicely. By days end I was completely and utterly spent. I clearly had not anticipated the physical and mental stamina required in maintaining the constant attention to the camera, the lens, the shot, the scene, the acting, the continuity, the pace, the script, and all the technical aspects of lighting, sound, and props. It was a groundswell of information to process.

It wasn't until arriving home late Saturday night that I was really able to reconsider what I'd done. I realized there were shots I missed and shots I wanted to change - but overall I felt satisfied with the process thus far.

****
I want to share some things, outside of this basic documenting of what happened for those thinking about filming their own movie and for those that just want to know what it feels like. The concept of making a movie is glamorized and romanticized. So many times the daily work that goes into making a movie is filtered out almost as if the movie goes from idea, to story, to film, to theater. As simple as that. But what happens on a set is that each person has a specific role and everyone is reliant on each other to get the job done. So in that sense it feels like work. You're setting up heavy and oftentimes cumbersome equipment, positioning lights, moving props around, making sure each thing is consistent from shot to shot and scene to scene. Then you're working with the actors to make sure they know what their moves, lines and emotions are. All this might happen in the course of fifteen minutes then you move a bunch of stuff around and do it again, and again, and then again. And all the while there is a constant attention to two major things: exposure and focus. Is the light level correct for black and white film? Is the action in focus?

It didn't feel glamorous. It didn't feel romantic. At least, not on the surface. But then again....I have to be honest. I have loved every single second of it. It's everything I'd hoped and thought it would be. Now I know this is why people want to make films.

****

Sunday, today, felt easier than yesterday. We got started faster. We bounced from scene to scene and even picked up a couple of extra shots that will tie things together better. We had some big scenes today - shot a lot of film. I'm blazing through these 50 ft rolls. I've shot 21 rolls so far.

At one point I had a sinking feeling that we just were not going to finish based on the schedule I created. It was just too much for two days. So I began to get a little overwhelmed with the amount we have remaining to shoot. And though we were planning to shoot on Monday evening in Norman I hadn't thought of another time to shoot the scenes we'd missed. But then there was some discussion and someone asked, "Well, what are you doing tomorrow?" Before I knew it people were volunteering to shoot during the day on Monday in order to catch up. So it looks like we are continuing the shoot as a make-up day tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be a FULL day of shooting but I am anxious to get going.

There are tons of pictures from the shoot and some video to share but it will have to wait until there is time to mess with all of that.

The Good Soldier - Notes 10 - Shooting Begins

Just a quick note: principal photography for The Good Soldier begins tomorrow and will continue through Sunday and again on Monday evening.

At this point all I can do is hope that everything is line and ready to go. It will be an early start tomorrow but I am anxious to get going.

Out of fear that I might run out, I ordered 15 more rolls of film today which should be here by Monday. I'm going to have to keep a close eye on how much film I'm burning through. Would be real easy to let time get away from me and keep rolling when I don't have to.

The Good Soldier - Notes 9 - An Update

I am very pleased with how things are going thus far. Each step feels like another accomplishment - one that I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to make. Today I met with a music composer about a score for the film. She is very excited and anxious to get started. I will share more about who this person is as things move along - I just want to make sure I have her okay before sharing too much about her. Needless to say I am psyched to have someone that is an accomplished composer and musician working with me on the film. I feel like we are very much on the same page as far as the music goes so I am excited to see what the results are. If all goes as I think it will, the score will give it those brilliant touches that I am looking for.

The costumes have been purchased for the main characters. I underestimated the cost for the costumes. They were about ten times the amount I budgeted for. One of the things they tell you if you are going to make your own film - pick the present day as your time-period. One of the reasons for this is the wardrobe. It is expensive to find vintage or impression WWII era uniforms. I ended up purchasing mine through a company called Top Pots in Sydney, Australia. They refurbish old military helmets. They not only had the costumes I need but they had what I wanted in stock, at a reasonable price, and were able to get them to me in a timely manner - so there you have it - sometimes it just comes down to that.

We have a production meeting coming up this weekend. We'll get all the cast and crew together (or all that can reasonably make it) and discuss the details of the upcoming shoot. The actual shoot is scheduled to begin on Saturday, August 1 and will continue on August 2 and a couple of days in the following week.

It's all coming together, slowly but surely.

The Good Soldier - Notes 8 - Film Test RESULTS

I received the processed film back from Yale Film & Video today. I can't tell you how nervous I have been about this test footage episode. The results of my first film test (using Ektachrome 64T color film) was a mess. Completely overexposed. Completely worthless. So going into this test shoot I feared that I might do one of a number of things to muck it up, namely, screw up the light and overexpose, screw up the light and underexpose, or get everything out of focus. Any one of those things would mean not only a waste of time and money but a need to go back to the drawing board and re-think this whole idea of shooting black and white Super 8 altogether. Given the circumstances, I felt, just prior to watching this film, that I might a) cry if the footage sucked b) cry if the film footage was miraculously gorgeous or c) remain at a happy medium if it was somewhere in between. Obviously, option "C" was the biggest gray area going into this.

It was with some reluctance that I ran the film through my projector and adjusted the picture to the screen height and distance. I paused more than once and might even have said a little prayer (though, truth be told, I don't really pray, just in circumstances such as these) before twisting the dial to run. The lamp flickered on, the film raced through the projector shutter and then: light. Picture. Clear. Clean, Focused. Utterly beautiful, black and white with a hint of sepia tone. There before me on my old, somewhat yellowed, Da-Lite pop-up movie screen was an image as beautiful as anything I have ever shot on camera before. Everything about the picture was what, and perhaps more than, I had imagined. It was scenario "A." And for a moment I thought I felt the tears coming. But no - this was just the beginning of the film - the whole thing couldn't possibly be this perfect.

The second "take" came and it was blurry. The light was perfect but the picture was blurry. And soon enough I realized what had happened - the camera focused, at the beginning, on the slate and not the action/talent, so when the slate was moved I was left with a close focus rather than a further away focus where the action was. This will be an easy fix and one that I will be more aware of during the actual filming. I was feeling closer to option "C" but still with the high of option "A."

Then I was taken by surprise again, the next scene, take 3, appeared almost more beautiful than the first scene. I picked this shot from the outside of the building looking in through an old window, the glass missing. The light is just such that it accents the actors face through the window and the shadows are still there for contrast. I can't wait to use this same shot in the film. I was nearing option "A" again.

There were a few more experimental shots that I did, all with good results. Only one of the later scenes had a focus issue - none had a light over/under exposure issue, which is what I was truly afraid of. With Tri-X film there is not much "latitude" in on the film in terms of light so if you are off by an F-stop (or God-forbid, two) then you are screwed.

The pictures I am including here are of still shots taken directly off my movie screen - they probably don't really do the actual pictures justice as I'm not the best still/digital photographer. But they should give a sense of the scene and the lighting.

All in all I consider this test-shoot a huge success. There's an enormous sense of relief in knowing that I can do this. I can set up a shot, understand and adjust for the light, depth of field and focus, and come away with footage that it is worthwhile.

I'll take this footage and get it transferred to digital and mess around with syncing it up to the digital audio we recorded. Given the results, I feel that it is time to move along to the actual shoot. I have pretty much everything I need now, including the re-assurance that this whole thing IS possible.

Next step is going to be a read-through rehearsal and then shooting begins. Thanks again to everyone who was there for the shoot. And a special thanks to Erik, for his willingness to be on camera for this.

The Good Soldier - Notes 7 - Film Test Shoot + THE CAST

Today was a good day - as far as I can tell. When shooting film it can be tough to tell until you get the print back and get to see whether you metered wisely or F'd the whole thing up and have to try it again. In any case, it was a fun and worthwhile day of arranging the set and positioning the lights to capture the angles and images just so. I had a lot of help - very valuable help in the "crew" that I have. These guys are amazing at what they do and fun to work with to boot.

The purpose of today was to test out the lighting conditions and a few of the actual scene setups using the camera and film stock that I am going to shoot. In addition, we recorded audio using an Edirol R-09 digital recorded and wireless lavaliere microphone. The plan is to examine the footage and work on syncing the film footage with the captured audio. It can be a tricky process especially since the film speed can vary and the digital audio speed remains constant.

I received all of the film stock today for the film; 30 rolls of Kodak Tri-X Reversal. That's 2:30 min of footage per roll (50 ft) when running at 24 frames per second. That gives a total of 75 minutes of footage for, what is to be, a 20 minute film.

Today I am officially announcing the main cast of The Good Soldier:
The Soldier - Brian Gililland
The Commander - Jack Hays
Miss June - Leah Trafford
Soldier 1596 - Erik Schultz

I haven't nailed down all of the "Extras" just yet - there are about 4 or 5.

I need to give a big thanks to Magna Talent Agency in Oklahoma City for helping us out and sending us some great actors for the audition. The two main characters, Brian and Jack, are both represented by Magna.

So what's the next step? Get the test footage processed - make sure it looks good. Then rehearsals. Then the first day of shooting.

The Good Soldier - Auditions - Notes 6

We held auditions for the film last Wednesday, June 10. We had 14 people audition for the two roles. It was my first experience casting and one I will not forget.

I have to be honest - when I heard the first lines from my script read aloud, by someone who was channeling one of the main characters - something in my heart fluttered and I felt emotional. It was the first time I have ever had something that I wrote performed. At that moment the writing, the story, all of that "stuff" that was merely in my head was coming to life. It put into perspective the magnitude of filmmaking in my life. And furthermore, I witnessed what someone else - with their own thoughts, perceptions, and feelings, can bring to a story that I might never have anticipated.

I am very grateful to have had so many people show up and put it all out there in an effort to bring these characters to life. It's a tough thing to get in front of people and a camera and act. And even tougher to make it believable. It takes a lot of courage and I truly respect those that gave it a shot - especially those that made this their first time.

I am thankful to John who has been a great supporter, guide, and teacher during this auditioning process. His input has been extremely valuable and I really appreciate having him on board. And thanks to Chris for helping manage the casting schedule.

I have watched the audition tape a few times now and narrowed the possibilities down. I have yet to make any final decisions. I expect to have one more audition before I make the selections.

***
As far as the technical stuff for the audition, everything went pretty well. I did have some issue with my HDV camera and hooking up a wireless lav mic to it - ultimately all the sound was recorded through the camera mic, which kind of sucked for sound quality but it still managed to capture it all. When it comes to the actual shoot I will need to work out all of the bugs on the sound. I am almost more nervous about the sound than the film.

The lighting for the room proved to be very good and I think the 3-point light package I have is going to work fine. It seemed to help quite a bit that the auditions took placed in the actual location that the film will be shot and many of the props were set up and able to be used.

***
I am in the process of making some decisions about where to purchase film, where to process it and where to have it transferred. I'm not only looking at price but quality of the final picture and turn-around time. It's a difficult decision given these three elements but making the right decision is crucial.

I have also come up with a final shooting schedule. If all goes well, I will be shouting "Action!" in exactly 10 days.

Auditions Today for The Good Soldier

Holding auditions today for The Good Soldier. As of right now we have about 14 people that are scheduled to perform.

This will be my first experience with casting - so it will be a learning experience in terms of the process and how it all works. I'm lucky to have a couple of people on board with experience in casting.

I am excited to see how the actors approach the characters hopefully find actors that give life to the characters. That's really what it is all about.

I'll let you know how it s goes when it's done.

The Good Soldier - Notes 5 - Production Meeting & Casting Call

Every day - one step closer to turning dream into reality - well, movie reality. I held my first production meeting today. Four people attended (including myself). We had the meeting at the actual shooting location - which was all the more inspiring for everyone. It helped to put the picture in everyone's mind.

We are officially announcing the CASTING CALL right now. The details are posted below or you can download a PDF version here.

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Casting Call for short film – “The Good Soldier”

Auditions held on Wednesday, June 10 beginning at 7 pm in OKC (contact for location and script lines to read)

Contact: Aaron Gibson – aaron@fusionfortyseven.com

Seeking actors for an unpaid acting gig for submission to Sundance and other festivals.

Synopsis: The Good Soldier is the story of a young man ordered to hold an observation post in a remote location during the early 1940s. After nearly a year with zero activity he becomes dismayed at the purpose of his mission, little has been revealed to him. As a result, he's driven by an ever-pressing urge to uncover the true reason for his position and the mission. What does the future hold for this good soldier? Not everything is as it appears.

We are casting for the two main characters:

The Soldier – Male 20s. A young soldier in the early 1940s – during WWII. A do-gooder young gun –willing to sacrifice himself – has the best intentions – which proves to be his downfall. Wide range of moods and appearance from clean-cut military to wave-of-despair, going hungry, and losing it all.

The Commander – Male 40s-60s. Strong military/radio communication voice. Much of this role is “voice” but there is one critical scene where the look is important. Role is stern, cold, matter-of-fact, and quite deceitful.

Other Details:
Filming to commence sometime between, June 20 – 28. Estimating a 3-4 day shoot.
Film stock: Tri-X & Plus-X Super 8 film
Film Duration: 15-20 mins
Location: OKC metro area

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I'm hoping the best for this casting call. If all goes well and we find our two actors then I hope to start principal photography on June 20. Man, that seems so close.

Here are a couple pictures of some of the props for the film.
This one is a picture of one of the radios that the main character communicates with the commander through. It is supposed to be an actual working radio - unfortunately I haven't plugged it in yet to find out. I should really do that.

Next up is a picture of a replica M1 Garrand rifle. Yes, it looks real but it is actual made completely of resin - not a moving part on it. But it should look great in the film.

Finally, and perhaps quite gratuitously, here's a picture of the cameras that I'm going to be shooting the film with. These are Canons 814 XL-S Super 8 cameras. The "S" means that they are capable of recording sound. Except they no longer manufacture sound film so all the film I shoot will be silent. Sound will be recorded through a separate digital audio recording device and later synced during the editing process. It's a bit of old combined with new school.

So the next big step is on Wednesday, June 10 when we hold auditions. Until then I will be constructing the set and doing some additional test shoots.

The Good Soldier - Notes 4 - Immersion and Exploration: a Series of Coincidences, Circumstances and Unusual Happenings

A lengthy title for the post, I realize. But an important one for where I'm at right now. Things have been a little weird lately - a little, well, I'll just use the word spooky for lack of a better term.

There's a point -- I don't presume to speak for all writers or filmmakers (nor would I presume that I am really either, so I use both terms loosely, but stick with me here) -- but there's a point in a story if you are a writer or filmmaker where you feel somewhat consumed by the thoughts of the story, the issues of the characters, the places and the time, the possibilities of what is next. You put yourself in their positions, in their situations, in their lives and think what would they do? What would be true to them, true to the story, true to this made-up world? The only other thing I might attribute it to is a long car drive, or a long bike ride, or perhaps a marathon (which I haven't done but would imagine it would fall into this category) - any activity that requires stamina, conscience focus on a goal, and a feeling of losing yourself in the swell of movement that keeps you going forward. It's a bit of that "zen state" but maybe a little more intense than that. It's in this state of being that you really create yet at the same time feel like you are not the one doing the creating - it can't possibly be me doing this - something is driving this idea.

That's when you become inexorably linked to whatever it is you are doing, it's carrying you, you carrying it - one and the same. Maybe it's surfing.

I've been here before in the writing stage of a screenplay but this is the first time I've been here in the pre-production phase of a project that I'm about to start rolling film on - and it is incredible. And to think, this is merely a "short!" What it must be like to do a feature film! I can't imagine.

***
Thing 1: Cameras lost. Cameras found. Cameras returned. Cameras returned.
I bought this amazing camera - I think I told the story already - a Canon 814 XL-S. Ordered it from Germany. All the sweet Super 8 cameras come from Germany, it seems. Ordered it, right. Ships to me from Germany. I'm waiting. I'm waiting. Doesn't show. Son-of-a-bitch. Check the tracking number online. Doesn't show - tracking thingy doesn't work. Wait a day. Check the tracking number online. Shows it delivered two days prior. To Hartsville, Tennessee. I said Tennessee - not Oklahoma. Delivered. Signed for. Done. Son-of-a-bitch. I contact the seller in Germany. Not his fault, he says, not my fault either - it's the shippers fault. It will be 2 to 8 weeks before I could possibly see the camera and that is only IF it turns up - not likely. Some dude in Tennessee signed for it. I panic. But the seller in Germany is cool about it all. He says that insurance will cover it. I explain my situation: shooting a film starting in June, I really REALLY need the camera - that camera - that model. He offers to send another camera - an identical one - another Canon 814 XL-S. Awesome. Ships it UPS 2 day air. What a guy. Two days later a box arrives at my door. YES! Upon inspection I notice the tracking number on the label - it's the first camera. I'm puzzled. A day goes by, another camera shows up at my door. It's the second camera. I take camera number 2 to the UPS store and they mark the box "Refused" - the lady tells me it will go back to Germany. No worries. Two days later, I arrive home from work and the same box - containing camera number 2 - is sitting in my chair. Now I have two cameras: one I want and one I can't get rid of.

Thing 2: Family history ties to story
My Mom read my screenplay a couple weeks ago. She said she really liked it, she wished it had kept going - which is a true compliment in terms of a short film. Couple days later I visited her and she gave me two books, both were my Grandfathers when he was in WWII. I didn't know he was in WWII, I'd always thought he was in the Korean War for some reason but apparently I was wrong. He was in WWII and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Of all things, he was a radio operator. One of the books was a Technical Manual for Radio Fundamentals dated July 17, 1941. Here I held in my hand a relic from the past that had a direct connection to me and the story I had written. Until this moment I was completely oblivious to any connection the story might have with my own family history - and to be holding something tangible in my hands that was evidence of it. I flipped through the pages. There, in the back, on page 125 was a picture of a microphone identical to one that I had just purchased. And on page 126 a headset identical to one I'd just acquired on eBay.

Thing 3: Finding the ideal main character
There's been no casting for the two main characters yet; The Soldier and The Commander. But people have asked me, if I could have anyone, who would play The Soldier? My response was, Casey Affleck. Casey would be PERFECT for the role. He'd just have to shave his head into a crew cut. I get a call on Monday: "Casey Afleck was at Rocktown yesterday." What? No, I'm not kidding. He's in town shooting a movie called The Killer Inside Me. He was at the gym with his family. Just there to climb and have fun. Would I have? Could I have? Mentioned the film? Given him my stupid little screenplay? Been that douche-bag that tries to give the big Hollywood star their story and attempts to sneak through the back-door of Hollywood? Am I that guy? Hell no. Well, I'd like to think no. But how often does one get the opportunity to be confronted face-to-face with that one individual who you envision as being THE person in the story? Maybe it's best I wasn't there. That could have been really embarrassing. And then I think - there's no way it could work anyway - he's in town for a completely different reason. He's actually here on a job. This is his career. He doesn't have time for bullshit like pee-on crap-cake short films like mine. Come on, a guy who's shooting a movie in Super 8 film!? What are you insane? NO ONE DOES THAT ANYMORE. There, I've pretty much given you insight into my thought process.

But there's that one little nagging voice in the back of my mine: so what if you ask him. So what if you embarrass yourself. So what if he looks at you like you're a lunatic wanna-be filmmaker and bats your script to the floor (which I'm not saying he would do) - at least you can say you asked. At least you put it out there. And it least you have a new story about the whole episode.

Who knows - maybe he'll come back to the gym. Casey, if you're reading this, give me a call at Rocktown. I can't pay SAG wages. But I can promise you you'll have a lot of fun. It's a unique project that will look good on your resume (and IMDB). The best I can do is have your favorite food on the set - unless it's something real expensive and then we'll have to figure something else out.

Thing 4: Memorial Day
I'd like to say a little about something I've been struggling with. This whole concept of working on a project that involves war.

I think I've been struggling with what this whole thing is about and why I wrote it in the first place. On one hand it doesn't deal directly with war - more the illusion of it. But it takes on the issues of being a "good soldier" nonetheless. In essence, it is examining what it means to be a hero and if one can ever really BE a hero given a situation that they have zero control over or, as in the case of the story, no knowledge of. Even if one is given a scenario where you are the best possible person that you can be, there's still the possibility that nothing is as it seems - that what you thought was real is not - and you may end up looking like a fool.

But over Memorial Day I began to question myself and if it is even right to explore these things. I'm thinking in terms of volunteerism and being a soldier. On one hand maybe I'm suggesting that everyone is a fool but it is circumstance that makes one a hero. But that can't be true always - it takes a certain kind of person. But then not everyone is a hero, right? I guess it all depends on what a hero is.

On another level I'm exploring the concept of: what's worth dying for and should it matter to one that commits himself to a life of service? Perhaps it is the commitment alone that makes them a hero. Is it wrong to suggest that one might die in vain at the cost of doing as you are told - or is that just a fact of life - a fact of war? I just don't know.

These questions hit me especially hard on a day like Memorial Day when so many lives are remembered for dying in war. And at the same time I question the entire human condition that draws us to war in the first place. It's not something we understand as much as we just live with.

***
I watched several war movies on TCM. They did this brilliant thing where they narrated the screenplay during the movie with the exception of the dialog, which was done by the actors, of course. But it intensified not only the movie watching experience for me, and the war experience, but also accented the brilliance of the writing and how it is linked from the page to the action on the screen. I was fixated on the screen and every word.

***
Wrapping up this absurdly lengthy post, next up on the agenda is to hold my first real production meeting and get a date set for the casting call. Then I need to get the main location area cleaned up and set built. I'll shoot a couple more rolls of film with sound and lighting as a test in the new camera and then I should be ready to go.

The Good Soldier - Notes 3 - Photo-shoot Report

This project is on it's way. We completed the photo-shoot for the character Miss June on Friday night in my "home studio." The shoot went great - Leah did an incredible job of playing the part of a 1940s pin-up calendar star. Now it comes down to sorting through the mass of photos to pick the ONE photo that will become MISS JUNE.

I would like to give a HUGE thanks to Sherwin, who was the photographer of the shoot. He did a great job and I really appreciate him taking the time and dedicating his expertise to this project. Also, thanks to Chris and my wonderful wife Lisa for helping with the lights and the backdrop. Their ideas and assistance made the shoot even better. Since we're all friends - & family - things went smoothly and it was a very fun evening.

Now that I have the photo shoot out of the way I need to begin working in Photoshop to make the calendar - a key prop in the film. That will take a bit of time but I'm excited about doing it.

Next in line is to finalize my budget - which I've already spent a sizable portion of and begin working on a production schedule. I'm hoping to have the shooting schedule done soon so that I can hold a production meeting. Ideally the production meeting will set us up for the casting call.

Of course the main character, The Good Soldier, himself, is the most important of all the characters and could easily make or break this film. So I'm hoping we have a good turn-out of quality actors for the role. And the role of the Commander is equally important - need someone with a good military voice and a strong face - ideally, this person will be 40s-50s in age.

I'm continuing to buy props through ebay and have come up with some really great stuff. Just bought a pair of WWI/WWII era French army binoculars - they look so cool online so I can't wait to see what they look like in real life. Next up, I have to locate an M1 Carbine rifle - a replica. There are a couple of different kinds; one is a resin version the other is a partially functional model. The resin one is cheaper, of course - not cheap but cheaper - whereas the model version is about twice as much. I think I would have luck reselling either so I'll have to think about what I really need, in terms of the film, and pick the best option.

Also, and I'll just throw this out there - I am looking for grant opportunities and individuals who might be interested in being a producer on the film. The budget for the film is $5000 and most of that is going towards film, processing, telecine - all lab work.

The Good Soldier - Notes 2 - Buying stuff is fun...

I'm just so excited I can hardly contain myself. Things are moving along. I've really got on the ball and started to purchase props, equipment, and costumes for the film - the essential stuff to make it happen. My budget, albeit small for any film, even a 15 minute film, is going almost exclusively to this "stuff" that turns an idea into a movie. So far I have been to a couple of military surplus stores in the OKC metro area. One of them in particular, Sam's Surplus on Agnew, had a backpack that I bought for $20. It has a good look though I'm certain it's not from the late 30s early 40s time period. Plus, I made a new friend at Sam's. The owner, Gene, has owned the place for 65 years. Yes, I said SIXTY-FIVE years. Talk about sticking it out. He was quite an interesting guy, very talkative, lots of stories, and very interested in the climbing gym and trading some business. Anyway, I found some items there that I haven't purchased yet that I think are going to be great for costumes. So I'm sure I'll be back.

I received my Lowel Core 44 light kit today. I went immediately into setup mode. Reading the instructions, feeling like a complete doofus trying to figure out how to put everything together. Ultimately it wasn't that difficult and now that I've done it once I'm sure I can do it again pretty quickly. I'm looking forward to setting up the 3-light kit on a set and taking some test runs.

Another big decision I made was to purchase a new (new to me) Canon 814 XL-S Super 8 camera. It was a big purchase but the more I thought about it the more I do not like the quality of the pictures I'm getting from my Nizo. I don't know what it is but the clarity and color has not been that good. And I really dislike the viewfinder - I can't see shit through it. So it came down to: do I want to burn $1000 of film through a camera that's not working for me? Hell no. I need something that works. So I hope the Canon is everything that everyone says it is. We'll see.

I've been living on ebay for the past couple of days. I've found and purchased most of the props I need. Found some really good stuff - stuff I don't think I would have ever found around here. I now have purchased 2 radios - both are 30s era shortwave radios that presumably WORK. That's going to be awesome. I bought a pair of vintage headphones from the 30s, and a WWII era footlocker. I'm picking up the footlocker in Fort Worth next week, since I'm going to be down that way for a climbing team competition.

I've also purchased a couple of costumes for the pin-up girl character, Miss June. I already have my actress that's going to play Miss June and I'm expecting that we will do the still photo-shoot for her next week.

I pulled out my old light meter - a Sekonic Studio A - that I inherited from my Dad. The meter wand moves but I don't know if the readings are accurate or not. I need someone's expertise. Frankly, I don't know a damn thing about light meters or metering for film. Ironic isn't it, since I love shooting film? I just need to learn more about metering, taking readings, and understanding the ISO/ASA thing.

Next steps are to go through the script scene by scene, location by location and begin blocking out the scenes. Then I need to have a production meeting, set a schedule, and do a casting call. Once I make the casting announcement I want pretty much everything to be ready to roll so that we can go right into rehersals. I'm aiming for beginning principle photography June 1, if not earlier.

BTW - anyone want to be a producer? The film needs money. Did I mention that I'm sending this to Sundance?

The Good Soldier - Pre-Production - Notes 1

The Good Soldier is a 15-16 minute short film that I've been working on with the goal of shooting and submitting to the Sundance Film Festival of 2010. The initial story idea and script development began in December 2008. Since that time I have a complete script, some of the locations, some of the cast, a basic budget, some of the production equipment, and an ever-evolving vision in my mind.

The Good Soldier is the story of a young man ordered to hold an observation post in a remote location. After nearly a year with zero activity he becomes dismayed at the purpose of his mission, for little has been revealed to him. As a result, he's driven by an ever-present urge to uncover the true reason for his mission. Not everything is as it seems. What does the future hold for this good soldier?

Things have been coming together a bit more lately. I made a big investment in purchasing a light kit. I decided to go with a Lowel Core 44 because it has everything I need for this shoot and I'm sure I'll be able to use it for future projects. Of course I debated between renting and buying but it came down to an issue of time - how much time I thought I would need a light kit - and convenience. It's so much easier to have a light kit right when you need it.

I've been reading a lot about film stocks, trying to pick the perfect film for the locations, lighting, and scenes in the story. I'm almost positive that I will shoot on B&W Tri-X for interiors and PLUS-X for exteriors. Reasons for this are that the story would benefit from having it in black an white. Plus, I feel that b/w film holds a high place in motion picture photography in terms of style and professionalism. And it will be fun to shoot.

I'm still pretty confused about camera settings and light metering - I wish I was more knowledgeable in this area. I'm trying to make better sense of it so that when it comes time I know, based on the amount of light in the room, what settings I should have the camera on. If anyone has any advice in this department that would be great. I'm sure much of it is just getting out there and burning through some carts of film but I'd like to know a little better what I'm doing before I pull the trigger. More research to be done!

I've made a few contacts along the way and some of those relationships are in the early stages right now so I can't really say what will become of them until later. Hopefully, I will have some help in the casting, scheduling, lighting, and sound departments. And I still need a main character. I will be putting together a bio for the main character shortly and hold a casting call.

After the initial test-shoot (which I wrote about in a previous entry) I learned quite a bit about what will work and what will not. I was also reminded of the unforgiving nature of shooting film. It can be difficult to get it just right. And with film it's not like you can go back and delete it - once it's on there, it's on there. And you don't know what you've got until it's been processed.

The plan is to shoot the rehearsals on HDV, get the performances down pat, and then shoot it on S8.

Got to go for now....more later...

Super 8 Film/Sound Sync Test - Summit Sings

I got some developed film back today. There were two rolls that I had developed and transferred - both were shot with my Nizo 801 Macro. The first roll was some test footage for a film that I wrote and will (hopefully) be shooting soon. The second roll is of my son, Summit, singing into a microphone. There are a couple of reasons for both of these films. First, these are the first rolls I have run through this Nizo camera and I needed to see how the camera handled and how the pictures would look. Second reason was to experiment with syncing sound to the picture.

I have to say, compared to my other camera - the Zeiss Ikon, I am a disappointed with the Nizo. The ligh, colors and clarity are just not as good. True, it may have a lot to do with the user but my first experience with the Ikon yielded some much better footage. I will continue to work with the Nizo in hopes that I will learn more about it and get some better footage.

The test footage I shot for my upcoming film was WAY WAY too dark. Very under-exposed. Yes, the room was dim but there were several windows open and some additional interior lighting for a couple of shots. In retrospect I should have considered that I was shooting 64T and probably should have been much closer to the subject and had much more light.

Even more unfortunate is that the footage is SO dark that I am unable to do a sound sync edit test because I can barely see the slate or the person holding it! Suck. Oh well - that's why it's a test, right?

Luckily, I also recorded the test footage with my HDV camera so I may put some of that online just so you can see the conditions. Maybe someone can tell me what I should do to fix the situation - maybe I need to change my film type entirely! This also answers my questions about if I need additional lighting or not - I absolutely do.

The other film I shot, as I mentioned above, is of my son. This took place outside and all the camera setting were on auto. The picture is still a little dark, grainy, and the color is weak - though I'm sure I could fix it a bit in Final Cut if I wanted to. Good thing is that I was able to practice some sound syncing with this footage. I now realize how tricky this is and how important it is to have a slate to cue the sound/picture edit.

I also realized everything I have read about trying to sync digital sound to Super 8 film. It does not stay synced for long, that's for sure. However, with a little tinkering I was able to keep the sound closely synced for a little while by increasing the picture speed by 10%. This doesn't change the look of the film hardly at all but it allows it to stay a little closer in sync. it is by no means perfect, there is some obvious lag/separation towards the end. But it's not too bad for a first try.

Again, there are some things I can do to make it better so I will continue to work on it.

For the time being - enjoy Summit's beautiful voice.

My Dad, Super 8 Film and a Well Site

This film is in remembrance of my dad who died April 11, 2002 - tomorrow is the 6 year anniversary of his death.

I would like to share this Super 8 film. This one is from a batch of films that I had telecined several months ago. I really like this one because it's an experience I remember - our visit to an oil well site that my dad was involved with. Honestly, I don't know what involvement my family had with oil - maybe this was a friend's site, maybe family. That's a question for my mom I guess.

The film shows my brother Ryan (the first little boy you see) and I playing around on dirt piles and dangerously close to the drilling rig. I don't see my dad in the film so I have to assume that he is the cameraman.

I have him to thank for my love of moving pictures, story telling, humor, and adventure. My dad spurred and encouraged all of those values in my brothers and I and we are each better people for it. I love him and still miss him.

Test Footage - Light, Sound, Location

This is a photo (taken with my cell phone) of one the locations for my upcoming film.

Yesterday was such an exciting day. Shot some test footage for my upcoming Super 8 film! The purpose for the test footage was threefold: 1) To get an idea of various light levels in the room and on the camera, 2) To test the sound quality in the room with a shotgun mic and perform sound sync test, 3) To get used to the camera and how it handles.

The entire test was documented on an HDV camera in order to review it later and identify settings, light levels, and how the room was set up with each change between takes. Speaking of takes, my friend Sherwin played the part of the "talent," clapped the slate at the beginning of each take, helped me keep things straight, etc. He even took the opportunity to tell a few interesting anecdotes about himself in the process - you can look forward to me sharing some of those takes later (if it's cool with him).

So the roll of test footage is off to the lab for processing and transfer. I'll post some footage up after it's back.

As far as the film goes - the script is finished and I'm pretty content with it. A few people have read it and so far I've received positive feedback. I made a few changes based on the feedback so I feel like it's good to go.

The screenplay has just been registered with the WGA. I will get into what the film is about in another post.

Feel good to be moving closer to my goal on this.

Super 8 Film - Russell on Last of the Good Guys - Quartz Mtn.

Here's another S8 film I shot a couple years ago. This one is of my good buddy Russell Hooper climbing Last of the Good Guys at Quartz Mountain in southwest Oklahoma.

I seem to have a lot of footage featuring Russell. I guess he's always willing to climb and he's great to watch climb because he's so smooth.

Again, no audio to this film - all is silent when shooting Super 8 - so pick your own soundtrack or just watch it without sound - it's kind of cool that way.

There is a continuation to the climb. The film stops when the film runs out. I immediately picked up my DV camera hanging around my neck and shot the rest of the climb. I need to piece the two parts together and put it online.

Enjoy.

Super 8 Films - Oklahoma State Fair

I've been talking about this for some time so I'm finally getting some Super 8 films that I've shot out here. I've got 8 films total and I probably won't put them all online but I am going to get all the State Fair ones out here. Keep in mind that none of these have sound. Super 8 film is silent. That is, unless you have a Super 8 *sound* camera AND sound film. It's not the sound cameras that are so difficult to find but the sound film can be difficult and expensive. Not to mention that to transfer both the film image and the associated sound would cost - well, I don't know how much it would cost but I'm sure it wouldn't be cheap.

All film was transferred at mymovietransfers.com - and from what I see of the films I had transferred I am really excited about using them again for future projects.

So, a little bit about this first film (shown above):
This film was shot in Sept 2006. Every year my wife and I go to the State Fair and every year we make it a point to ride the giant slide. This year was no different. This film was shot by both of us. My wife shot the portion of me going down the slide - that's me in the hat and glasses smiling at the camera after racing down the slide. The rest of the footage, I shot. This was B/W film and shot on my Zeiss Ikon Movieflex S8. It was a bright and sunny day so much of the images are a little overexposed. I'm sure I could up the contrast a bit in Final Cut (editing program) but I chose to keep it in it's original unedited form.

This next film is from the State Fair - Sept. 2007.



I really like this one. It is the essence of what S8 film is all about to me. Rich colors, fluid picture, handheld camera feel, up close and real - filled with personality. This was also shot on my Zeiss Ikon Movieflex S8, this time using Ektachroome 64T film.

This film features several different elements of the state fair - the "freak" show tent, the unusual State Fair cuisine; fried Twinkies and Oreos, and a few of the lighted midway rides at dusk.

The two people in the film are Chris and Leah. Chirs is taking his first delicious bite of a fried Twinkie and then offers Leah a bite. I would note that Chirs went on to finish that Twinkie and followed it with a couple of fried Oreos. Shortly after that he was moaning with a stomache.

I especially enjoy watching the ride footage at the end and will probably shoot some more footage of rides in future films.

Hope you enjoy these two films.

~Aaron