Below is Frank, the guy who sorta is The Detroit Film Festival; Natasha, my teacher at the Detroit Film Center; and me.
Three of the students who performed in the film with friends and family.
Those same three actors with me and Kathleen, the Western High School teacher who went above and beyond in helping make the movie possible.
Frank said the editing was very good. I told him that even if it bombed tonight (which I fully expect it to) I’m still in afterglow from the success of my little flicks in Vegas, so it won’t hurt my feelings.
I asked Frank (and everyone else I know) how many people like both country music and movies with subtitles. After last month’s Fourth Friday and Detroit Film Festival got rained out, I joked that the night my film would be rescheduled for would be country music. As it turns out …
Well, I’ve had fun chatting with Frank, the guy what runs the Detroit Film Festival. The Hard Rock Cafe has provided another awesome buffet. Not as many people are supposed to show up as last time, but a few are and by sheer chance, I will (am) actually be there as well.
Keith Anderson is the headlining country act who is playing this very moment. Apparently he’s a grammy nominated “rising star” in country music.
We just finished filming the final shots of Red Eye. They’re downstairs (I’m in the upstairs classroom at the DFC) capturing it onto Natasha’s (the teacher’s) laptop. When they’re done, I’m taking Little Caesars’ camera back to the office and going to the bus stop. It feels so good to finally be done with shooting for this. Now, there’s just the editing which, with no
deadlines, I can take my own sweet time with! THANK GOD!
Only me, Danny, and Maggie (the girl who wrote it and co-directed with me) have shown up for any of the make-up classes … or even the last couple classes. Everyone else seemed to lose interest.
Maggie might go to the movie tomorrow and one or two other people might show up from the cast so I’m thinking I’d like to go but I still don’t know. If Nikki wanted to then I’d want to more. When the audience was going to be all latinos and/or fans of latin art, then I was more geeked but tomorrow is Country music night. How many people enjoy country music AND movies with subtitles?
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I am authorized to post this for one week. Watch it while you can. I’m very proud.
The Love Boat piece turned out brilliant. I’m not comfortable with putting it online in its current form, though, because of all the people who are in it that I don’t even feel like asking for their permission. However, I can substitute some other pictures and put it up. I’m just so pleased with how it turned out. It looks even better than the original. Maybe I can block out their eyes and names or something…
The historical thing … so much had to be cut out which is heartbreaking. I had to take over ten minutes of footage and get it down to 3:21. That I’ll put up after the rally. So much of what I do is supposed to be a surprise for various events … I wish I could put things up as they progress like I can with my personal projects. I’m saddest about having to cut up the footage from the Michigan Renaissance Festival. I’m also sad I can’t make it up there this year. It’s been years since I’ve been there or Frankenmuth – two of my favorite places.
I still have no idea what to do for a TV show and my new script idea is all full of writer’s block.
I just posted a little video on this blog’s sister blog and here it is.
I wrote the theme song for Madre Sabe El Mejor and people seemed to really dig it and say they can’t get it out of their head.
Today I composed a new one for the video mentioned in the previous entry but I think it’d be perfect for the feature I’m starting. I had two ideas but I don’t think I’d be able to write the first one. Just don’t have the life experience or cultural experience. I think this new song is as good as or better than the first.
OH! I’ve been reading oodles of film & video books over the last few months and today I got one from the library with the best title: A How-To Guide for the First-Time, Flat-Broke Film and Video Maker.
I’m really pleased with this. Even moreso than the earlier example. I was telling my boss earlier that my skill level in Final Cut has increased a great deal over the last few weeks. I’m pretty pleased. Of course, life would be much better if I never had to deal with crappy corporate lighting everywhere I go. That can’t be good for your health. I keep thinking of Tom Hanks in Joe v the Volcano … the lights sucking out his brain and happiness.
This ugliness is “before.”
This is “after.”
I do this all the time in Photoshop. I don’t know exactly why I get so much more excited doing it in FCE. Maybe it’s just a new skill. And that’s why I don’t mind the lethal yellow lighting. It makes me stronger.
for the “historical” multi-media extravaganza. Wow. I’m diggin’ it.
The re-scheduled screening of “Madre Sabe El Mejor” is September 28 at a much friendlier time of 9:30 PM. Same place.
I have two ideas for a new, feature-length movie. I’ll shoot this one with my personal cam.
I’m really excited about this editing for the church’s musical and doing the wedding. Both will be great portfolio pieces. I’m going to make a web site and make a DVD for the newlyweds that they and I can show people. Same thing with the musical. I’m going to make the DVD as nice as I can for both … ooh, and I should include my contact information.
Barrie, Chris and I shot some more stuff. One of the shots was … well, we’re using something new in our company that replaces something old and the video showcases the new thing. Part of the video is “new uses for the old thing” and there’s a bonfire. We went to a park, made a huge fire in one of the barbeque pit things and started throwing stuff into it (I wanted them dancing around it like pagans but …). During all this, someone said, “So, how are we going to put this fire out when we’re done?”
Yesterday, Chris spent a few hours shooting for a different project and I’ll be editing that today. When his project is done, I’ll start working with Dan for yet another video project for Vegas. I still have to get back to Phyllis’ at some point.
And to think some days I actually believe my job has gotten less creative & fun. Some days I have such an unwarranted crappy attitude. I’m glad I’ve got friends and family and co-workers to lift me out of that pit when I stumble into it.
