Things have been crazy! With the new camera have come some new projects.
The first is A Thank You from the Heart a short documentary film about Mary Ann Bauer who is a volunteer at Saint Therese. We entered it to the Filmanthropist Project which will be showing the top ten entries at the Oak Street Cinema on December 13th at 3pm. Also thinking about sending it to FOX News Channel's College Challenge as well. It's at a current TRT of 4:15 without credits and for the contest it's got to be no longer than 3:30. Have no fear my friends! I'll be posting it for you all to see soon after it's world premier at the Oak Street Cinema I hope to see you all there.
Working on a stretching video for CenterPoint Energy. This would be the second video I've done for them. The kicker you ask? It's a national video to be seen all over the country and it's also in high definition unlike the CSAFE video I did for them back in corporate video production. What else more can I say it's corporate and you'll never see it.
I've also been doing music videos with Justin Staggs and at the most recent one with Minnesota Rapper Kay I was offered a chance to shoot and put together a behind the scenes video to hype Put Some Sauce On It. I'll be sure to let you all know where and and when it is posted for the world to see sometime in January. Speaking of which I'm just out the door to shoot Kay in the studio to recording some tracks for his new album unfinished business. So, I'll see you all later unlikely the same time, but the same BAT-URL!
With the decision to go with the HVR-Z5U rather than the GY HM100U also came more time to get the extra bread together to fund this little endeavour. It was about an extra seven hundred dollars altogether to go with HDV basically S-miniDV based Z5U. S-Video and even more so S-VHS bring a big smile to my face. It's was the first professional format I learned.
From VHS-C and editing on two VCR's to S-VHS editing deck to deck. I also went from action figure actors to classmate and crew actors. Those where some great times, I just pray that footage never sees the light of day again. Sorry, back from the flashback. This means I'll still for some time shoot to tape and then digitize the footage. Somethings have changed like now I edit NLE and thus I can tool around and mold things like clay because ⌘Z is a life savor. Yippee-ki-yay!
Besides the extra Benjamins lost was the time to shoot the end fight scene of Red Reflection with it's colorful leaves and amber dusk sun. Those beautiful leaves now lay on the ground dead and soon gone. However, Red Reflection is anything but dead and gone. In the mean time till next fall I've got some other plans.
Bellum 2012 is that first plan. I began to cook up the idea for the film back in 2007 and finally banged out a script earlier this year. Right now I'm doing some final revisions and getting ready to set this bad boy in motion. Should be an adventure.
Also, I've been watching a lot of flicks as well. What else is new right? Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Drag Me To Hell, Observe and Report, Dead Presidents, Gojira, El Mariachi Trilogy, and yes the Spy Kids Trilogy as well. Been taking Robert Rodriguez's 10 minute film schools...
I Went with a Sony HVR-Z5U and have gotten it from B&H Photo Video! Shipped this baby overnight from New York City. Now I know I said I was going with a JVC GY-HM100U, but it just didn't do it for me with it's 1/4 inch CCD's which I heard from several sources didn't work so well in low light. After a view of some tests on YouTube and Vimeo I knew I had to look elsewhere. I looked back and went with the updated model of the camera we used on our First 48 Hour Film Project when we shot SUB-SESSION a Sony HVR-Z1U.
This bad boy has a 29.5mm lens, a lux of 1.5, and it shoots 24p just to name a few of it's many specs. Oh yeah, and it overcranks and shoots what it calls smooth slow motion! I'll have some stuff to show you guys shortly. Sorry, for the lack of updates again I was doing research and getting funds together... UPDATE SUPER SOON!
The great news is I'm done with public speaking! Über Epic.
Watched some more great films. Watchmen on Blu-Ray for one! Also, Barton Fink, JCVD, Starship Troopers, and oddly enough the Woody Allen flick Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Looking forward to seeing Inglourious Basterds and Funny People on the sliver screen very soon. Yowza!
Been reading some buttery comics like Spider-Man Noir, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, Captain America: Red, White & Blue, and for the first time Sin City. Lastly I've given into that shouting boy inside me and I'm back on a fighting game kick. It's been a great year for 'em. The Return. King of Fighters XII is the latest to join the club along with the king Street Fighter IV and the oddball and yet very intriguing ブレイブルー better know as BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger here in America. Distortion Finish! I call it research -- enough said.
Rewrites continue on the Red Reflection script. The shoot is still on for a late September or early October date, basically as soon as the red leaves and amber sun make their presence known we're goin' in. Oh yeah, kinda need to buy my JVC: GY-HM100 shorty here as well. Thank you, renters returns! I'm on my way even more so now...
I did indeed take that excellent adventure with Mr. Logan and Mr. Preston! So not bogus dudes and dudettes! Got myself a few weeks to relax before my return to classes, and I'm going to enjoy them! It's what summer created for chillin'.
I've been real busy, even after the 48 Hour Film Project. Reading up and things. Beyond comics I mind you. Watching lots of movies from my youth like Robot Jox, The Guyver, and hell yeah even the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie! I truly miss folks like Jim Henson and Sam Winston. Digital Effects are indeed a art. A fine one at that. Cost effective as well. They're just is something miraculous about doing it "for real" so to speak.
Also, working on rewrites on the Red Reflection script. Plan is to shoot it this fall. A story of revenge and crime. Oh yeah and some kick ass fights. Leading to the climax on an abandoned bridge. That's all I'll say about that. For now.
Well, back to rewrites and reading. Maybe just maybe an excellent adventure with Bill and Ted...
For this years Minneapolis 48 Hour Film Project the fallowing elements had to be in all the films. The prop of a sandwich. The character of Kevin Schnabel an Expert (of any sort). The line of dialogue was "I hope they decide soon."
Then we drew our specific genre... *drum roll* SUPERHERO!
As always guys and gals your opinions and comments are always very much welcomed and appreciated! To the cast and crew all I can say is in just 48 hours we... Nailed this bitch! Without each and everyone of you working to your fullest we could not have pulled this off! Thanks, again. I hope to see you this time next year. Same Defenestrator time, same Defenestrator channel...
I'll be posting the flick after the Premier at the Riverview Theater this Thursday...
Oh, by the way I've got some stories to tell you all. Another time, perhaps after a bit more recoup.
I'd like to take this time to thank everybody who made it happen. Nicki Andert, Daniel Steinberg, Justin Tholl, Clayton Ebeling, Sam Hanus, Mccrae Olson, Kassandra Langum, Joe Young, Carol Vnuk, James Norgard, Breanna Füss, Alana Bloom, and Ben Brady. I owe all of you my greatest of gratitude. We made magic!
Speical Thanks, also goes out to the Andert's for letting us invade their house, and claim it as both home base and lair. Frank from Excel Warehousing and Distribution for letting us use his warehouse. Jimmy John's for the sandwich platter to which I got none. Far too busy for food... Lastly, Rich Oxley for providing us with equipment, support, and guidance when we needed it... Thanks, a million to everyone.
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