Wrapped

It's been two days since shooting wrapped. I deliberately took time off from watching the tapes to catch up on sleep, eat, and spend some time with Mel, who was less than pleased to see her apartment turned inside out (unintentionally) by my crew. We took a walk around Watson's Bay and I got to see the edge of Sydney Harbor. Beautiful.



So now I'm back to work (I can never be on vacation mode for too long; I get either guilty or restless), and I'm about to start logging my shots, which I will attempt to squeeze into my new external hard disk (expensive as hell, and its glistening silver sheen should serve as a reminder for me to work harder to pay for it back. Mel has upped and left for New Zealand for 9 days, which means I get the house to myself. I need to start work on my other subjects- Sound Design, Screen Studies, Time Memory and Identity- all have papers and presentations which need to be done. I hate papers. I'd much rather get eyebagged and skinny directing and editing than writing papers.

The shoot was a blast. Four days of setting up, getting shots done, crossing out shots in the storyboard with an orange highlighter (which led to my new production name- allOrange Productions), all in the name of independent filmmaking! And getting a good grade in class.

Shooting just wrapped and already I am thinking about what to do next. I'd like to shoot a smaller, shorter film this time, with me as the cameraman. I wouldn't mind a small crew, 2-3 people, and I want to work with a few of the actors who we didn't cast for Locked. Shoot a film in a day or two, one location (anywhere except my apartment), no lights, minimum dialogue, one to two actors, and that's it. Something lyrical, something visual yet small scale. I know I should be thinking about what topic to write about for my papers, but once I start doing so, story ideas enter my head and I space out. Imagination can be quite stiffling sometimes.

Jitter-free

It's 4am and I am surprisingly on cruise control, considering the amount of work I've been doing. I have a mock trailer to submit for DV class and I still haven't done it because it's taking forever to burn a DVD copy of Mel's reel on my laptop (I'm using hers). Tomorrow is also my last pre-production day with the crew before we go off and shoot Locked on Thursday night. I'm pretty excited about it, everything seems to be going as planned, my lead actors are fantastic. Last Saturday I took some photos of Adam and Brooke (who play Jake and Anna, the "perfect couple" in my film), and they looked very much like newlyweds.



I still find it amazing how actors can flip a switch and be someone else just like that. In a way I miss the whole acting process myself- doing theater, ads, hammy stuff for Gameplan, but I really think I'll make a much more decent director down the line.

Why oh why is my Powerbook taking forever to burn one damn DVD? Hassle. It's probably slowing down what with all the files I've been putting into it lately.

On a totally geek note, Mac is just da shit. I just realized that I can literally shoot and edit a feature length film with equipment that would fit my backpack. I think tools like Final Cut and Garage Band are going to pull exciting new filmmakers out of the woodwork. Good times to be in, tech wise. Having been trained in the Probe Production school of linear edit machines, gear like this is a godsend.

Storyboarding sucks when you can't draw!

There used to be a time in my life when I could actually draw. I could churn out a MacFarlane-esque Spiderman, do a Mignola-type Batman, and a mean Jim Lee-ish Wolverine.

My question is, what the hell happened? Now it seems like I can barely draw a straight line. I'm ranting because it's 2am and I'm in my 5th day of drawing my "Locked" storyboard, and my drawings look utterly laughable. I fear showing it to the actors because they might think we're doing a comedy.

I actually surfed the web and attempted to download storyboard-making software called StoryBoard Quick. I mean, I love drawing and the thought process that goes behind it all, but based on my current drawing abilities, the task of storyboarding 150+ shots is just too time consuming.

The Art of Saying No

Casting for Locked just finished yesterday and I am more than pleased by the turnout. Seven actors showed up, and they were all terrific. I admit I got some goosebumps hearing my words spoken by pros. Each of them brought different approaches to the characters, and it was tough coming up with a decision over who to play who, because there were at least two people competing for a role. I'd like to credit my group's savvy in this one though, they all seem to have good instincts when it comes to casting, or the filmmaking process in general. I feel like we're all on the same page creatively, and I sense the excitement in them. Which only gets me pumped up as well. I think we're on the right track.

The crap part about being the producer/ director is that I'm the one who's got to give the actors we didn't pick a call and let them know we didn't choose them. What the hell do you say to someone who just gave a really impressive performance that he/she wasn't what we were looking for? I can honestly say I could write a film right now and cast all the actors I didn't pick and make them act in that, and make a good film. I suppose I'm being overtly sensitive towards this because I've done my share of auditions once, and I know what it's like.

So now we've got a cast (the leads at least), a crew, and every location pegged down except for the LOCKSMITH SHOP. I should be getting nervous about this, but I trust Henry. We've got less than two weeks to shoot, and on my part, I've yet to finish my storyboard.

In fact, why am I wasting time writing here when I should be drawing? Later...

Twas the night before Casting...

I'm pretty excited for tomorrow (well, today technically, in a couple of hours), because the first round of casting for Locked begins. I've been getting positive response from a handful of actors who liked the script, and I'm looking forward to meeting them tomorrow.

Two weeks from today I'll be shooting my film! Good times.

Sometimes I think there aren't enough hours in the day to accommodate all the things I do. My mind is in perpetual state of motion, every chance I get, I think about how to shoot my film, who to cast, what atmos should I use, blah blah ramble ramble? I'm the movie world's equivalent of a crack whore, I exist solely to get high on the rush of making films.

If only I had this work ethic when I was in high school and college. Maybe I wouldn't have disappointed my folks as much.


Sleep. I need to sleep. Casting notes tomorrow.

Let it Snow! Sort of...

What seemed like an ordinary lazy Sunday afternoon turned into a scene straight out of Forces Of Nature. Hail the size of marbles began to pelt Sydney for 30 straight minutes. Mel and I just stood in our balcony as we watched poor unprepared pedestrians flee for cover. Chaos aside, the aftermath made for a very pretty scene. The closest I've gotten to snow so far.

www.gamefacefilms.com (I wish)

What keeps me excited these days is being able to build a substantial body of work that I can compile and post in one website. Sort of like how Kevin Smith has View Askew.com. It would be interesting to link all my passions into one site that hopefully people will want to click on to see. Right now I have this blog, my photo site at www.photos.ph/gameface, and my various yahoo emails. It would be nice to be able to log onto just one site and have my entire world in one page. Soon...

Breather

Sometimes I think I work too hard.

In the last month or so my whole life has been dictated by one thing- work. Work in several aspects- school, my part-time job, house chores. My eyes are constantly red and puffy from the potent combination of lack of sleep and over exposure to computer screens. I've lost weight, and I sincerely believe that if I attempted to run half a kilometer right now, I will die. So much to do, so little hours in the day.

The funny thing is, I actually enjoy it. In fact, I hate NOT having anything to do. Working on my film has become the equivalent of say, another person going to a bar and getting sloshed. I love the buzz I get when I'm in front of my laptop, figuring out how best to tackle a certain scene visually, what sound design best conveys the mood I'm trying to project, hell, even planning the budget feels like a party. What can I say? I love everything about the filmmaking aspect. I love the fact that in less than a month I will be directing talented actors and making something that came from my brain into reality. How can anyone not be excited by that?

Just the same though, it's important to step out and get some fresh air once in awhile. Went around the city with Mel, took in the sights, scoured some outdoor shops for a fleece jacket (in vain), ate excellent lamb kebabs, checked out Darling Harbor, took some photos, watched oversized birds jostle for space on a tiny tree. I need to get myself to walk around Sydney more, it's just beautiful.

Not as beautiful as my girlfriend though...

Birthing pains...

Okay, it's September 4, 2004 and I have 20 days to shoot a short film for my Digital Video class. I've managed to come up with a script called "Locked" and it's loosely based on an experience my girlfriend Mel had with a locksmith. Not THAT kind of experience, you pervs. Mel found herself locked out of her flat one night and had no choice but to call a locksmith at 3am. As he was picking her lock, she couldn't resist asking him: "How does it feel knowing you can enter anyone's life anytime, anywhere?"

And it's true. Locksmiths do have the knowledge and skill to do just that. The idea of a normal person possessing a unique skill (a "superpower" in its own right if you will) intrigued me. What goes on in these locksmith's heads? Do they have a strict code of ethics to follow? Don't they ever wonder what's behind each door they open? And would they be curious enough to find out?

I decided to write a short film based on a common human trait: curiousity.

FRANK MALLOY III is a locksmith. He belongs to a line of distinguished locksmiths who have passed on their trade from generation to generation. Frank has just turned 25, and the reins of the family business have been given to him.

It becomes fairly obvious that the Malloy locksmith genes have waned over the years- Frank III isn’t quite as skilled as his father and grandfather, but he makes up for it with lots of enthusiasm and a sincere dedication to his job.

This doesn’t stop his mind from wandering though. Frank often wonders what his customers’ lives are like: Where do they go? What things do they lock up? Are their lives better than his? Seeing one customer drive off in a sports car seems to affirm this.

Frank’s been taught a certain code of ethics, which we hear periodically via Voiceovers throughout the film. The Voice reminds Frank to never break the Locksmith’s Code- never use your skill to enter other people’s lives.

Despite Frank’s staunch adherence to the Code, he can’t help but sneak a few peeks into his customers’ lives now and then. Perfectly alright, says the Voice, because to be curious is to be human, after all.

One day, Frank takes it too far when he duplicates an unsuspecting customer’s key and enters his flat. It is here where Frank will learn the hard way that some doors are best left unopened…

...So script being done, it's been chosen along with three other scripts to be produced for submission. I've rounded up a crew of seven and pre-production is underway (more on the crew in a future blog).

So far we have started with location scouts. We plan to shoot in apartments around the King's Cross area. The toughest location will probably be the Locksmith Store. It's gotta look as accurate as possible, complete with key duplicating machines and keys hanging from all sides. It'll cost too much to build a set, so finding an actual locksmith store would be the only choice.

Casting. I've managed to attract interest from young professional actors courtesy of the website www.sydneyactor.com. Auditions are next Friday and I am looking forward to meeting these people and finally putting a face to my characters.

Such exciting times. On a personal note, I've found a new part time job as a video assistant for a local video production company. They do corporate videos and post them for video streaming. It's feels good to be able to land a job that puts me back in my element, although I think I'll keep my charity call center job on the side.

Times are hectic, and I've had to time manage like never before. But this is exactly why I came here. It feels good to be waking up and doing projects that I know will only improve my skills as a director. Bring it on.

Getting ahead of myself.

So sue me, I couldn't resist designing a mock poster for "Locked." Haha.