Screening

Robert couldn’t show up because of  a bizarre incident involving his pants getting stolen. That’s two screenings of two movies he’s been in that he’s totally missed.

Danny, Jose, and Maggie showed up. I only talked with Jose – I didn’t get a chance to talk to the others. I left early because I had a killer headache and my stomach was killing me. I saw some cool shorts from the animation class and the beginning of Danny’s edit. Actually, I didn’t leave early … they started pretty late because of technical difficulties, among other things.

Last night I watched Cabin Fever which was very good. Much better than Eli Roth’s other two flicks, Hostel and Hostel 2.

The Red Eye Is Delayed Indefinitely

I’m simply lacking the time and resources to work on it for the remainder of my time in Michigan. I’ll just post Danny’s edit. Maybe I’ll put up some extra shots I took or something.

I was going to try to squeeze in the time but I really want to focus on my Flash & ActionScript 3 skillz in preparation for potential jobs in Florida. One in particular that I had a phone interview for yesterday and have a face-to-face for while I’m down there for a day on Feb 5. SproutMeansGrow is my graphics blog & site.

The house is ours as of today. Nikki and the kids arrive there by train tomorrow. I dropped them off at the Detroit station yesterday.

I’d love to see Rambo after the screening of Red Eye tonight but I spent $85 on those books and getting them overnighted so I gotta cool it with the money for, like, a year.

I’m Dreaming of a …

I really want an exterior shot of the Henry Ford Hospital so I’m hoping there will be a time of no snow sometime between now and when I leave Michigan. Sooner than that, actually, so I can capture and edit that shot into the movie.

A couple weeks ago, I found a sweet parking space in front of the hospital, put money in the meter and took the camera with me so I could get the exterior shot(s) and hopefully guerilla myself a shot of some interior and, in particular, “room 314″ before getting kicked out. My camera’s “on” switch is very sensitive. If it rustles in the bag, it’ll turn on even though it might not be recording. So all the charging done the night before was wasted. As soon as I pressed record, the thing died. That’s actually okay, it was rather dark by that time – I should really do this over lunch instead of after work (my building is just a few blocks away).

I thought to myself, “Well, I’ll just take some still shots and creatively use them somehow.” Of course, those batteries were dead, too. I’m loathe to admit all this because it makes me look like a most unprepared idiot.  

I’d really like to get the Fisher building in the background but there’s no way to get a “Henry Ford” sign in the shot and the Fisher building unless I do some sort of pan which … I really don’t want to do. It would be sweet to get the old GM HQ in there, too but that’s even less practical. Gosh, the original Motown/Hitsville USA house would rock, too. This area around the hospital, called the New Center (check out the slide show on the home page) area of Detroit, is really rich with awesome architecture and historical significance.

Michigan Building Parking Structure

Whenever you see a shot of Maggie sitting at the table … look for the parking structure out the window in the background. That’s the parking structure used for major scenes in The Island and 8-Mile.

This Isn’t Going To Work

In an effort to have something ready to be screened Jan 25, I thought if I can’t have the footage I still want to get and don’t have the time to edit what I do have, why don’t I do super-scaled-down version using as little as possible? My idea was to make a silent version and see if the story could tell itself through imagery. I even thought if I inverted the colors whenever The Woman shows herself … that might help with the ending …

Both Nikki (that’s my wife) and I agree it doesn’t really work. For this concept to work I’d need different shots than I had – which brings me back to “I don’t have all the shots I want.”

What I did was do a “save as” on Danny’s finished version and just cut it up, remove the sound, take out the color, etc. And Danny’s version/vision is just very different than mine. Eventually, I’d like to have both Danny’s and my edit up so you can compare them. He includes stuff I won’t and excluded stuff I consider essential. Danny Martinelli, by the way, is the guy in the movie with long hair playing the pinball machine.

So, I’m not proud of this at all, but … here it is for posterity. Stay tuned for the “real” version in 2-3 weeks (hopefully).

Funny = I cut so much out that the opening and ending credits are longer than the movie itself.

Red Eye Screening at the DFC

Updated Jan 10, 2008 
At least one version of Red Eye will be screened at the Detroit Film Center’s new location on the evening of January 25, 2008. I have two concepts for my version – one of which I just thought of in the last couple days. This new version would be quicker and easier to edit so I have a wee bit of optimism that I’ll have something screened then. Otherwise, I’ll do my original idea later which will have to be finished … sometime later. I might … MIGHT … get this new idea done tonight. I can’t help but get my hopes up about that. Getting my hopes up is a new, very bad, habit I’ve developed lately.

Good Day, Sunshine

Just found these sites and I’m excited about being at all of these:

• Florida Film Festival
  It looks like I missed the deadline for 2008, but that also means I have plenty of time to get ready for 2009, eh?
• The Sarasota Film Society looks a lot like the Detroit Film Center (which I hope to see before I leave – they’ve moved to a new location… I haven’t had time to finish Red Eye because as soon as I got my current day job, I had to start looking for a new job in Florida!) in that they show local/independent films and have classes. They also show art films (which is good because the Maple and others in Detroit are just too far away) and first-run films. They’re totally showing Kids which I’ve wanted to see forever but it’s Jan 5 which is before I’ll get there.
• “Entries begin January 4, 2008″ (I’m not sure what that means, exactly) for the Central Florida Film Festival held in August. I wonder if I can finish … no, probably not. Well, I suppose I could get Red Eye screened … nah, I’ll do that as a Detroit exclusive … hmm… that might be a reason to come back up and visit for a weekend!
• I think every state has an office dedicated to the film industry – Michigan sure does. Florida’s official state-run department, Film In Florida, has it’s own website including a list of Florida film festivals! How cool is that?

I’ve tried to find info on local community access TV but my impression so far is there is none. Poop.

Me at my current (now temporary) gig at AT&T:

In all likelihood, all I’ll have is my own personal camera – not a super sweet one like Little Caesars’ at my disposal. I’ll have to spend a couple hundred on RAM and storage for my little Mac to edit with. Even with more RAM, I’m not sure it could handle Final Cut Express so it might be time to use iMovie. Crap … I’ll need a microphone, too, since my little camera doesn’t have much… it’s all do-able, though.

I’ve been reading a lot about John Carpenter, lately, and listening to his commentaries for The Thing and Halloween. I didn’t realize how low-budget Halloween was or that it was an independent film. Carpenter gives really good commentary. I like Halloween’s better, though, because I love the “how we did it” stuff for low budget productions.

Finally, I started editing Red Eye

And I’ll be doing that for another 10-15 minutes.

Robert’s Red Eye

I didn’t write Red Eye. Maggie, a fellow student at the Detroit Film Center, did. It’s just so … weird to work on a movie I didn’t write. It’s very different than being in a play I didn’t write. But then … I think it would be easy to be in a movie I didn’t write. Directing is a completely different animal. I’m not sure I’d completely enjoy being one of those directors who is in their own movie.

This sort of thing drives me crazy at my day job. I hate working on everyone else’s projects and never having one of my own. One of the pastors at church said, if I may remind myself, that I need to work on someone else’s vision before working on my own but … dude, that sucks.

I just feel like everyone thinks, “Oh, you’re only the director? You didn’t write it?” or “Oh, you’re only the designer? You didn’t actually create the content?” Actually, I don’t feel – I know … that’s what they say in job interviews. And my Mom says stuff like that. I didn’t plaster my name all over Madre because I feel that’s just, I don’t know, vain. And after she watched it, she said, “You’re name is nowhere on it” which made me wonder if she even believed I made it. Yeah, I could have filled the credits with my name for every crew position, put my name as producer, director, writer, but … whatever.

I should mention the writer/director of the church musical liked the editing and such I did of her show.

I’ve been very bitter and unfulfilled lately, if you can’t tell.

Can’t Catch the Redeye

Finally found the script so I can start editing. It’s gonna look “experimental” because I don’t know what the heck else to do with it.

Started capturing and uploading bits of the wedding video. Google Video is getting on my freaking nerves lately.

Red Eye and Madre Premiere

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?

I continually learn how important planning and pre-production are. If nothing else, taking your time in both pre-production and during the shoot. Sure, there seemed to be a lot of wasted time the nights we shot at the restaurant, but it’s easy, I think, to get disorganized when you’ve got people without well-defined roles when everyone is taking turns and, like my Madre project, little time for planning or shooting.

All in all, both experiences have taught me a lot.

I’m still craving more audio and lighting experience/learning. My bosses got me a DVD called “How to keep your do-it-yourself video from looking like you did it yourself.” From what I’ve watched, it’s not very good. I was hoping for – with lighting, for example – a person standing in various lighting setups on camera so you could see the difference. It’s all lecture though. Why make a DVD? Why not just write a book with no pictures?

With Madre, I learned that I need to allow myself more confidence and authority as a director.

Something that sticks out for me from the Red Eye shoot is having to stop repeatedly while the air conditioning or something turned on and waiting for it to stop so we could begin filming again. That’s something I wish I’d done with Madre – allowed myself some flexibility. The situations are different, of course, but still.

Natasha is a much better teacher than the teacher of the first class I took. Note to self: don’t forget to ask about audio filters.

Oh. Crap. I. Just… remembered … something … I am in serious trouble …

Pix from Classy Class

I’m tempted to get some footage on my own. Of Robert driving to the airport, of the airport, him walking through it. It’s not like we’re graded or it’s a competition, but I still feel like I’d be cheating. I suppose I could share this footage with the others. But then my project will … you know … yes, I want an advantage … that’s really my whole life. What can I do that’s special? That no one else can? When do I get recognized and set apart? Where are MY Mary Janes?

Below are pix Natasha, the teacher, took during our first couple nights.

First is Danny. He’s one of the people who suggested we film this elaborate fantasy sequence involving an evil clown or something. Danny missed a couple weeks of class and when he showed up for the first night of filming I totally didn’t recognize him and asked him if he was taking a class there (at the Detroit Film Center). He said yes and I asked him what class.

The Detroit Film Center is moving. To Eastern Market, which is very cool but not within walking distance like the current location. They’ll have air conditioning at the new location which will be very nice for the people who can get there.

In the locker room at the Y, there was a notice with little phone numbers to tear off for space in an artists’ thing at Eastern Market. Apparently, there’s a common area with common equipment and individual areas or spaces you can rent. The rent was super cheap. I’m doing a crappy job of explaining it but, wow, wouldn’t that be cool? I took a number but don’t know what happened to it.

Speaking of the Y, the blubber is melting off which makes me happy. I’m glad I have class tonight and tomorrow – I have an hour or two between work and class to work out both days.

This is me with the shotgun mike that really wasn’t working. See how chubby my cheeks are? I really don’t like my mouth or chin. As a young man, I was good looking. Now I’m just … ridiculous.

Here’s Maggie with one of the Joe’s in the background (and, of course, a cup o’ joe in her hand). The poster on the wall is for a Roy Orbison concert in 1970, I think. The whole restaurant is full of cool knick knacks. I need to at least get shots of those. And of Robert through the window. Well, as long as I’m doing that, I may as well get him driving to the airport, etc.

Jose and I going over the shooting script and shot list on the second night. Jose helped me with my subtitles on Madre a wee bit.

I think this is getting ready for a shot of Ariana dropping off coffee or french fries. The fries were never as good as the night we came to scout the restaurant.

Maggie, Jose and the other Joe on the first night of shooting. What I like about this is we’re done at 10 PM or so. When I shoot at night for Little Caesars it is often an all-night affair. I don’t think we’ve ever finished before midnight even on an early finish.

Natasha and Joe (and Roy Orbison).

I want to mention how scummy the hotel is this restaurant is in. When you walk from the restaurant into the entrance of the hotel … the smell assaults you like a homeless person crazy on crack covered with their own urine and puke. I remember this hotel from 20 years ago. When I was just going into the Air Force, we stayed there. It was disgusting then and seems as utterly depressing and revolting now. The bright spot is that City Club and Labyrinth are downstairs.

Robert looking thoughtful.

Capturing the Red-Eye

We’ve done two nights of 3-5 nights of shooting. So far, so good. First night I did audio for a bit, second night I directed – well, as much as you can direct with the rest of the class and the teacher giving their constant input that as often as not contradicts whatever you say. For example, within the same shot I’d be told “do it however you want” and “do it this way.” Again, lots of learning along with lots of frustration.

This first picture of Ariana shows her playing her original role as the Writer Woman. I’m not sure why she was so uncomfortable in this role but she switched with screenwriter Maggie, who was originally cast as the Waitress. Ariana would say her lines so very quietly. Barely a whisper.

This is Ariana as the waitress. Once in this different role, she perked right up and said her lines at a normal volume. Ariana doesn’t look at all like my college friend Ariana. She does, however, look a lot like my old friend Meghan who is an actress/director in Texas now. Both Ariana and Meghan have those smiles that stop Great White Sharks and speeding bullets in their tracks. Shame there was no reason for Ariana to smile on camera. But the look she gives Maggie when she says “You’re the writer, right?” is really great.

Maggie as Writerwoman eavesdropping on all the other patrons – the businessman (played excellently by Robert Barnette) in particular. Maggie has some really great facial expressions.

I’m glad I got to see Robert really act. He didn’t have much to do in Madre. All he does is monologues in this, though. I can’t wait to see him act opposite somebody.

We got many shots from different angles, close ups and extreme close ups. Until I took this class, I didn’t know there was actually a technical difference between a close up and an extreme close up. I mean, I know there was a difference but I didn’t know there were actual definitions for such things. For example. a close up is just the face and an extreme close up is, for example, just the mouth or eyes or up someone’s nose.

One of Maggie’s close-ups. I can’t remember what this was … I got these shots just by scrubbing through the footage. It reminds me of John Michaelson back in college. He was the inspiration for a Chi-Alpha expression: “Scruncy-faced cool.”

Class Project

We’re using Maggie’s script, “Red Eye.” The other 2-3 students that wanted to do their scripts … the scripts had these elaborate fantasy sequences, FX requirements, locations … it was just nuts. We’re filming at Luci & Ethels which is in the Leland Hotel so if you’ve ever been to City Club or Labyrinth you’ve seen it. Last Wednesday, we scouted it and the Bagley Grille (both locations said yes) and we took some pix for storyboard usage.

This is Jose who I will hopefully work with outside of class and Natasha the teacher. I wish I knew what she was making a face about. Isn’t that pinball machine sweet? I’m glad we got the location because there are tons of knick-knacks and memorabilia for cool cutaway shots. This isn’t for a shot in the film – I don’t know who took this picture or why.

This is Jose and … John? standing in for two people arguing in Spanish at the counter. I took this picture from the Writer Woman’s perspective. Friends of students will be playing these parts.

Much of the movie will be shot from the following perspective. Maggie, the woman what wrote the script is sitting in for … I can’t remember her name either … which is insane because it’s a totally cool name … she’s a student and she’s playing the Writer Woman which is the female lead. In the background you see me sitting in for the Businessman character which will be played by Robert Barnette. He’s a friend of a student (me). This restaurant has really great fries, by the way.

Natasha and Maggie. There’s a scene with the Woman Writer and the Waitress at a counter. I’m not sure who is playing the waitress. Maybe Maggie is. Not that you care.

Natasha doesn’t think we’ll need lighting because of the natural light but I feel differently. It got dark that night quicker than I think anyone thought it would.