Well, here we are in the very beginning of the New Year. It feels rather weird that we’re this far into the new millennium, and I can’t really pinpoint why. But I’m not here to talk about this thing that we call 2010.
It’s been a few months, again, since the last update. Reason being is that while I have been working on the film, I’ve also got my two part-time jobs, and two ‘freelance’ video jobs that I’ve recently finished up. But what have I been doing for the film since the last update?
I’ve talked with a friend of mine who works in the Franklin school system who supervises a student-run record label, and we should be getting the music done through him. This is something I’m stoked about and proud of, largely because I know that if I went to any outside sources, they probably wouldn’t agree to not getting paid from the beginning to work on this project. I am planning on a type of re-imbursement for the music, but unfortunately it’s not something I can take care of right now. But I’m proud because going with my contacts in Franklin has allowed me to stick to my mantra of keeping the overall project local, which is fantastic. Virtually everything about this movie has been about using local talent, from my cast (my lead actor lives the furthest away, but not so far that it would have cost me an arm and a leg to re-imburse him for his mileage), my crew (most of my crew has been from Franklin), my locations have been purposely restricted to this area, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s only fitting that the music should be done locally as well. And if I’m lucky enough, I’ll be able to get a screening or two done at a nearby movie theater, which would kick absolute ass. The beginning of December saw the initiation of ADR sessions for “Doubles”, which has been tough on all my actors in one way or another. I understand for the most part where they’re coming from because while I’ve focused my energy on working behind the scenes since I was a film student at FSC, at heart I am partly an actor, and so I understand the frustration that comes with doing an ADR session, and you may kick yourself for not being able to get in sync with the original audio. I’ve gotten all the major ADR sessions done, and then I need to get my lead actor back in the studio for a few hours just to re-shoot a green screen section that doesn’t require much, just him ‘walking’, and a couple of green screen shots that have been good placeholder shots in an interview room sequence. It has been a little more than crazy to work these ADR sessions in when my actors were available, and working them around when I wasn’t doing something for the studio, which can some weeks take up all my night time. But in addition to that I’ve also been working on two freelance jobs, one which is now up on Youtube called the Mass Monster Mash, and another was a concert DVD that I’d been working on for my oldest sister, who released her debut folk album back in December, and I eagerly recorded her CD release concert not only as a show of sibling support, but also because her music is so damn good that I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to doing something like this for her, and this concert was the perfect opportunity.
At this point now, all the necessary ADR has been done, including the aforementioned green screen shooting with my lead actor. All of that has been captured and cut into the movie, along with necessary backgrounds and such. Now I can really focus on the effects shots when I’m at the studio, and take care of Foley sounds that need to be done in-doors. A couple of effect shots have been passed on to a friend of mine in the Franklin school system, which is fantastic. I have no doubt that he’ll be able to do a better job getting those shots finished up than I would. I’ll be taking care of the numerous other shots that require effects.
Everything feels like it’s falling into place. The next cut of the movie should be done in about a month, then I can see where we are at and decide what needs to be tweaked visually and what not. The second cut will have the ADR, and whatever effects shots I have done up to this point. It’s bound to get really crazy but exciting over the next five months, and I’m loving it so far.
