Sunday, 30 September 2007
I miss Letterman!!
Having a quick click on youtube I noticed this video. Really great. Dave Letterman with Paris Hilton. Laughed out loud, particularly at Dave's response to someone yelling, "I love you Paris!" from the audience. Dave is so quick witted and by far the best of all the American chat show hosts, Conan, Jay Leno etc. But he's not on British TV any more! The other guys you can find, but Dave was dropped from the schedules over a year ago. I really miss him! Come on ITV2 Or ITV3 Or ITV4 get him back on the British airwaves, you can show hours of fishing, get showing Dave again!!!
Saturday, 29 September 2007
End Of Week One Of Filming
So a week ago today we commenced shooting on this untitled high school comedy (which is going to be called, "Say The Right Thing!" unless we can come up with something better soon!)
It has been a great week, we have completed 8 scenes and I have cut that together into about 5 minutes of screen time so far. It all looks and sounds good! Of course lessons have been learned, including it is a good idea to get permission from the railway authorities before trying to film on a platform. We will go back with written permission which the staff gave me phone numbers and names for.
Lights are working well, and we "lit" our first scene on Thursday. Have to be careful of shadow, particularly from the boom mike, but it all worked well in the end, and footage edits well. Sophia did really well in this scene, which she had to do over and over again, ending up on her knees in front of Simon and then falling to the floor! We ended up having a little crowd watching at one point, we are starting to get a "buzz". Also first day for Abi, our leading lady.
Wednesday night we had our first night shoot! Well sort of, I acquired loads of disposable cameras, other cameras and people (Terry, Tom, Kathryn and Steven again!) so we could get the feel of a black and white imaginary slow motion premiere that opens the film. Loads of flashes going off! Lynsey was hired in (not paid but she recieved a cup of tea and a toasted tea cake later!) for the glamour and looked suitably beautiful, Simon looked good too in his tux. All went well, great location discovered by Terry and the moon looked great. A number of takes and in the can! Thanks Lynsey you are our dream lady!
Yesterday, we had another shoot, and would you believe it, an exterior shoot planned and there was a downpour all afternoon. But decided to soldier on, and see what we could do.
It all worked out really well, no-one said this was going to be easy! Were able to grab a few moments here and there to create establishing shots of school, and had some impromtu extras! Then was able to put camera inside entrance and shoot our introduction to John and Rich who play our leading man's best friends. These boys got better and better with every take, and I am pleased with the footage.
We then filmed Abi's (playing Lauren) intro into the movie. What will be her first moments on screen. My good friend Steve Hill came along to play her father, and bought his lovely Audi. We shot inside the car from both points of view and then some nice "waving shots", Steve drove away and all was done! Steve was great, good comedy, so was Abi and all the footage cuts together to make a great opening to our movie.
Just need those train sequences and some key flashbacks and our first moments will be complete. Onto week 2!!
It has been a great week, we have completed 8 scenes and I have cut that together into about 5 minutes of screen time so far. It all looks and sounds good! Of course lessons have been learned, including it is a good idea to get permission from the railway authorities before trying to film on a platform. We will go back with written permission which the staff gave me phone numbers and names for.
Lights are working well, and we "lit" our first scene on Thursday. Have to be careful of shadow, particularly from the boom mike, but it all worked well in the end, and footage edits well. Sophia did really well in this scene, which she had to do over and over again, ending up on her knees in front of Simon and then falling to the floor! We ended up having a little crowd watching at one point, we are starting to get a "buzz". Also first day for Abi, our leading lady.
Wednesday night we had our first night shoot! Well sort of, I acquired loads of disposable cameras, other cameras and people (Terry, Tom, Kathryn and Steven again!) so we could get the feel of a black and white imaginary slow motion premiere that opens the film. Loads of flashes going off! Lynsey was hired in (not paid but she recieved a cup of tea and a toasted tea cake later!) for the glamour and looked suitably beautiful, Simon looked good too in his tux. All went well, great location discovered by Terry and the moon looked great. A number of takes and in the can! Thanks Lynsey you are our dream lady!
Yesterday, we had another shoot, and would you believe it, an exterior shoot planned and there was a downpour all afternoon. But decided to soldier on, and see what we could do.
It all worked out really well, no-one said this was going to be easy! Were able to grab a few moments here and there to create establishing shots of school, and had some impromtu extras! Then was able to put camera inside entrance and shoot our introduction to John and Rich who play our leading man's best friends. These boys got better and better with every take, and I am pleased with the footage.
We then filmed Abi's (playing Lauren) intro into the movie. What will be her first moments on screen. My good friend Steve Hill came along to play her father, and bought his lovely Audi. We shot inside the car from both points of view and then some nice "waving shots", Steve drove away and all was done! Steve was great, good comedy, so was Abi and all the footage cuts together to make a great opening to our movie.
Just need those train sequences and some key flashbacks and our first moments will be complete. Onto week 2!!
Saturday, 22 September 2007
Shooting Day 1
Well, we have some footage "in the can"! We shot four scenes around the Wade residence today. Had a great time. Shot in bedroom, stairs, hallway, out front and on the roof of a car! It is great working with my good friends Simon And Tom, and indeed Kathryn (the boys Mum) who has a role in the movie! Quite a stretch playing their Mum! Steven became boom operator for the shoot and Terry became our driver when we headed over to Milton Keynes to pick up our lighting from Jessops (add another £199 to the budget!)
Had to contend with gardeners and noise but all went well. Particularly pleased when we watched the footage back. Hi def at 25fps looks really good, widescreen and approaching cinema feel (well as close as you can get without a budget of around £50,000.) Tom injured his toe! Climbing onto the roof of the car! But he soldiered on.
Casting has gone well, particularly pleased to be working with such a great bunch from St. George's School. Auditions were good, but difficult decisions had to be made. I think we have found a great Lauren, Becky, Justin and more!!
Saw "Run Fatboy Run" tonight and really enjoyed it! Laughing out loud and a real feelgood movie (though it should have ended with a wedding!) Simon Pegg is great as so was Dylan Moran. A great British Comedy! With nothing to do with Richard Curtis!
I would give it 4 Peggs out of 5.
As research for our movie we earlier in the week (on my 37th birthday!) went to see, "Superbad." And it wasn't good. The characters were way funnier than the movie. Some of it was a little too over the top in the crudeness department, it was 20 mins too long and there seemed to be little inventiveness and actual comedic skill in the writing. Though I do like some of the actors, I just think there is a better vehicle out there for them somewhere.
2 Supes out of 5
I have to say, our movie, is going to be almost the total opposite to the "Superbad" mentality, call it "inventive reasonably clean fun." Although we wouldn't mind a slice of their 200 million worldwide and counting!
The computer is fixed. Almost everything blew! It had nothing to do with hi def footage, just a coincidence it decided to burn up from the inside there and then. So the £487 bill to fix it (and in some ways improve it) is not part of the filming budget. Glad to get back to work "doing" different videos for Church etc.
We have a boom mike! For sound! A pleasant accident really. Bought a stereo adaptor for mike (£4.96) and an extension lead for mike (£6.49) we also have a light refractor which, well, refracts light! Big and round and white, or silver or gold.
Had to contend with gardeners and noise but all went well. Particularly pleased when we watched the footage back. Hi def at 25fps looks really good, widescreen and approaching cinema feel (well as close as you can get without a budget of around £50,000.) Tom injured his toe! Climbing onto the roof of the car! But he soldiered on.
Casting has gone well, particularly pleased to be working with such a great bunch from St. George's School. Auditions were good, but difficult decisions had to be made. I think we have found a great Lauren, Becky, Justin and more!!
Saw "Run Fatboy Run" tonight and really enjoyed it! Laughing out loud and a real feelgood movie (though it should have ended with a wedding!) Simon Pegg is great as so was Dylan Moran. A great British Comedy! With nothing to do with Richard Curtis!
I would give it 4 Peggs out of 5.
As research for our movie we earlier in the week (on my 37th birthday!) went to see, "Superbad." And it wasn't good. The characters were way funnier than the movie. Some of it was a little too over the top in the crudeness department, it was 20 mins too long and there seemed to be little inventiveness and actual comedic skill in the writing. Though I do like some of the actors, I just think there is a better vehicle out there for them somewhere.
2 Supes out of 5
I have to say, our movie, is going to be almost the total opposite to the "Superbad" mentality, call it "inventive reasonably clean fun." Although we wouldn't mind a slice of their 200 million worldwide and counting!
The computer is fixed. Almost everything blew! It had nothing to do with hi def footage, just a coincidence it decided to burn up from the inside there and then. So the £487 bill to fix it (and in some ways improve it) is not part of the filming budget. Glad to get back to work "doing" different videos for Church etc.
We have a boom mike! For sound! A pleasant accident really. Bought a stereo adaptor for mike (£4.96) and an extension lead for mike (£6.49) we also have a light refractor which, well, refracts light! Big and round and white, or silver or gold.
Saturday, 15 September 2007
Making A Movie Ain't That Easy!!
Soon to embark on shooting my first full length feature film, after 20 years of writing and directing sketches, plays, monologues, musicals, pantomimes, editing videos and shooting short films.
But there is a lot of frustration! And this is getting expensive! You know how you hear of film makers ploughing their savings into a project, well I can sympathise! And this is the same month as my wife's credit card is cloned and we had 3 and a half thousand pounds spent on petrol in India! Thanks guys!
So I need to film on hi def right? If you're going to do this, do it properly! Can't afford to hire a movie camera, film stock and processing charges, so you go for the best the home market can offer. So have just acquired a Sony HDR HC7E hi def camera. Cost-£699.
But what do I do? I get the camera and decide to see if my editing software will handle hi def footage. It doesn't!! Computer went pop and for the next hour kept turning itself on and off. A friend took a look and I need to get in the big guys, this is going to be expensive, video card probably blown. And more!
Needless to say the software upgrade for editing hi def footage arrived yesterday (£63.21 incl VAT), wish it had arrived earlier now! I am sticking with Pinnacle 11 Ultimate because it's what I know. Been using version 9 plus for a few years now. Of course I wanted to experiment with shooting and editing before filming began, work out how hi def will work with software and decide what "mode" to film in. I hope I still get to! Don't want too many re-shoots!
Being an advanced camera means I can adjust shutter speed. Do want a "film look" so with experiments I have made I am thinking of going for hi def, obviously, but at 25fps. As some of you know video shoots at 50 fps but makes a film look like a "making of", so I am halving the shutter speed, anyone got any advice on this, I would appreciate it!? But as we all know, film is "truth captured at 24 frames per second." Want it to look good on that huge Sundance screen!
Of course to shoot a movie well, you need a good microphone, don't just stick with the camcorder's own. So I head online and order a Sennheiser camcorder mike for £112.48 (including shipping and handling.) Arrived yesterday, looks really cool. But doesn't fit the mike shoe on top of my hi def camera!! I begin to call Germany, because Amazon want you to go straight to the supplier, but had trouble being understood! I don't know why, I spoke slowly and loudly!
Went online and discovered that I can purchase an adaptor that will make this mike work on my camera. But the 2 stores that stock it, close at 1 on a Friday and aren't open on a Saturday. Even for online purchases! Got to wait till Monday, but we are due to start shooting on Thursday! Got to do quiet stuff first.
What tape to use? Mini dv or hi def dv? Gone for the latter, forums say there is less chance of drop out and this film (which could be the only chance to direct a feature that I get) is worth the few extra pounds for more professional tape (got a box of 10 for £62.50 incl VAT.)
We will get there! Had a good time walking round Simon's school with him on Thursday, met some people who will be great in the movie and found some great locations. Also met with the headmaster who is a really nice, encouraging, supportive man. We are a go!
We hopefully have an audition this Thursday and begin shooting soon after.
So prep days-my whole life up to this point. Although Simon and I brainstormed ideas in early August and the script was finished about a week ago.
Oh, I forgot! 15 copies of the script-printed and bound=£64.51 incl VAT.
Current budget equals, all above, minus mike adaptor which I haven't been able to order yet!
£1001.70
(that's a lot of Christmases and birthdays honey!! For those of you who don't know my wife owns and rides horses as a 3 day eventer, so she is extremely understanding, as this movie budget is nothing compared with what that great big animal costs us!)
Friday, 7 September 2007
The End Of Summer!
But then again, did Summer ever really begin!? Just thought I'd do a quick re-cap of the last two or three weeks.
Went to Soul Survivor with the youth group, had a really good time, but the weather was awful. Enjoyed partnering with St. Mary's Church on this little adventure. Music and worship was excellent.
Watched a few movies. Rush Hour 3, pale impersonation of the other two movies. Seemed like a rushed, we need more money kind of movie. Some good action here and there but to say this was half-hearted would be an understatement!
Saw Knocked up! Quite enjoyed it, some real laugh out loud moments, but like a lot of romantic comedies, it became so romantic they began to forget about the comedy, and a lot of it, in the later stages, involved people yelling the F word very loudly. I like Seth Rogen, and will probably see Superbad but does everything have to imitate American Pie! Maybe not, more of this later.
Saw The Bourne Ultimatum. Which rocked! Fantastic film, it's great to watch a film made by people who obviously love film. Damon was amazing, and the action scenes were excellent, particularly the Waterloo sequence. Good to see Paddy Considine in a non-Shane Meadows, non British movie. I think Bourne Supremacy is my favourite of the three, we do need a little rest between the action and I felt this third film needed one more scene at the end. Maybe looping round to the beginning of the first movie? The second film felt more satisfying overall.
Spent some time with my family in Swansea, which was great. Welsh cakes! Caswell Bay! China China!
Also, I wrote a movie! At last! Flicking through channels a few weeks ago, happened upon Gregory's Girl and Pretty in Pink. Began to think about an English High school comedy. Hasn't really been one since Gregory's Girl and that was 1980! So, I have a good friend, who is an actor, and part of the youth group and attends High School. Began to bounce around some ideas and Simon helped with High School life, scenarios to think of including, terminology etc. and we have a script which is called....well, that's the thing we have a couple of titles we can't decide upon. But I will keep you posted.
I wrote during mornings in Wales, and our 80 page epic is ready. We hope to start filming soon, and we'll finish it when we finish it! Do need some music though, which we can't afford to pay for! Pop, rock kind of stuff. So any unsigned bands want to get a song of theirs in a movie? Let me know. You'll get some exposure, get a credit and the film will hopefully be seen in as many film festivals during 2008/2009 as possible. Excited about this, we need to overcome a few things but, at last, we get to make a full length feature film which has a script! And is written in such a way that we can make it with no-budget, and still appeal as a film.
Tour starts again on Sunday the 9th! Off to Kettering! I am also performing a new comedy monologue (a youth leader losing his mind!) at the Urban Saints Leaders gathering at Stopsley Baptist on Saturday, then rushing back to catch the England game. We'd better qualify!
Went to Soul Survivor with the youth group, had a really good time, but the weather was awful. Enjoyed partnering with St. Mary's Church on this little adventure. Music and worship was excellent.
Watched a few movies. Rush Hour 3, pale impersonation of the other two movies. Seemed like a rushed, we need more money kind of movie. Some good action here and there but to say this was half-hearted would be an understatement!
Saw Knocked up! Quite enjoyed it, some real laugh out loud moments, but like a lot of romantic comedies, it became so romantic they began to forget about the comedy, and a lot of it, in the later stages, involved people yelling the F word very loudly. I like Seth Rogen, and will probably see Superbad but does everything have to imitate American Pie! Maybe not, more of this later.
Saw The Bourne Ultimatum. Which rocked! Fantastic film, it's great to watch a film made by people who obviously love film. Damon was amazing, and the action scenes were excellent, particularly the Waterloo sequence. Good to see Paddy Considine in a non-Shane Meadows, non British movie. I think Bourne Supremacy is my favourite of the three, we do need a little rest between the action and I felt this third film needed one more scene at the end. Maybe looping round to the beginning of the first movie? The second film felt more satisfying overall.
Spent some time with my family in Swansea, which was great. Welsh cakes! Caswell Bay! China China!
Also, I wrote a movie! At last! Flicking through channels a few weeks ago, happened upon Gregory's Girl and Pretty in Pink. Began to think about an English High school comedy. Hasn't really been one since Gregory's Girl and that was 1980! So, I have a good friend, who is an actor, and part of the youth group and attends High School. Began to bounce around some ideas and Simon helped with High School life, scenarios to think of including, terminology etc. and we have a script which is called....well, that's the thing we have a couple of titles we can't decide upon. But I will keep you posted.
I wrote during mornings in Wales, and our 80 page epic is ready. We hope to start filming soon, and we'll finish it when we finish it! Do need some music though, which we can't afford to pay for! Pop, rock kind of stuff. So any unsigned bands want to get a song of theirs in a movie? Let me know. You'll get some exposure, get a credit and the film will hopefully be seen in as many film festivals during 2008/2009 as possible. Excited about this, we need to overcome a few things but, at last, we get to make a full length feature film which has a script! And is written in such a way that we can make it with no-budget, and still appeal as a film.
Tour starts again on Sunday the 9th! Off to Kettering! I am also performing a new comedy monologue (a youth leader losing his mind!) at the Urban Saints Leaders gathering at Stopsley Baptist on Saturday, then rushing back to catch the England game. We'd better qualify!
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