Brilliant

Ain't nothin like editing

Really, it's very addicting. Manipulating images and sound to create art. Well in this case a Budlight commercial. Finished the ad today, and I'm quite proud of it actually. We came up with some great stuff and it all went together quite well. Can't wait to show it off, but now let's see if Budweiser approves. Once again, ya can't hold your breath on this kinda thing. You send it off, and forget about it. If something happens, great. If not, oh well.

Cut together Chris's Tech Interview, finished the Budlight Ad, worked on editing Monster Cops. Even had time to snag me one of these bad boys:



More later.

What kind of day has it been?

Today we worked on the Bud Light commercial for XLNTads. I think we all had several different ideas for the past week, but really we're coming late to the game and couldn't do alot as per Budweiser's Guidelines. Tonight we got quite a bit done. Came up with a nifty idea and knocked it out by about 9:30pm.

Got started at about 4:30, first with a few videos for actor Chris Plouffe. I'm working on his demo reel as well as helping him produce some videos for his acting profile. Then went into the Bud Light stuff.

Got home around 10:30 and continued back on what I started the day off with. Editing Monster Cops.

What's that you say? We've barely shot anything? Correct. Plenty of test footage, rehearsal video, and fx tests. Out of all that, there's maybe 2 minutes of footage I could use and sneak into the actual movie. But editing goes beyond just cutting footage together. There is quite a bit of graphic and titling work to be done, and I might as well get started on sound effects work.

This is basically a 22 minute series pilot we're working on. So I've already created an editing timeline in Vegas starting off with the usual, black tone, bars and tone, and a countdown.

Can you tell I use to work in Television? Does anyone even say bars and tone anymore. If you don't know what I'm talking about here's the run down. We start off with black tone, which is really just a black screen. We use to call it black tone, or black burst, because back in the days of analog 3/4 inch video you had to actually have a machine that produced a black screen (called black burst or tone) that you'd record on to your video tape. 30 seconds worth because back in the day you had to make sure enough video tape had run through because the very beginning of the tape was always more at risk to be damaged or degraded in a video deck. Nowadays you don't have to worry about that, so I do about 5 to 10 seconds of black, all on the good old computer machine ;).

After a black screen, we have the color bars and tone. You may have accidentally seen this on tv late at night. Color bars are there so whoever is playing back your video can adjust their equipment to the correct industry standard colors. Again back in the day a machine put out a color bar signal. Now all I have to do is click a setting in Sony Vegas. So easy. The tone part of bars and tone means a sound tone. One long sound in order to help whoever's watching adjust their volume accordingly.

Then of course the countdown. Self explanatory. A countdown is there to let the presenter of your video no where to cue it. That way your video is ready to go when the lights go down, or when the curtain comes up, or whatever. They hit play and it's ready to go. The countdown you see here is the typical start at 8 and ending at 3. Starts at 8 because honestly 10 is just too long, and ending at 3 because those last 2 counts should be black screen and then the actual start of the movie. I made my own countdown, full of color and hues, just for the heck of it.

The episode starts off with very official looking government office graphics. I'm using actual department seals and logos, along with the Shadow Company Unit number, file number, video number, etc. Really trying to give you a feel that you're watching something produced in secret by the government.

Got to specify that you are watching a training video of sorts. As if you yourself are being trained as a Monster Cop, or that you are somehow being treated to a sneak peak into a secret government project.

After all the graphics and ID flashes and such, we go right into the action. Starting with this text. Trenton County is a fake county I've used in previous productions. I've decided to set most of the Monster Cops action in the town of Magic Valley, USA. A creepy little town I've written quite a lot about. When you watch the episode(s) Magic Valley and Trenton County are going to look like a hybrid of The Triad and DFW.


Here's the main titles for the show intro. The following pics are freezes from the intro.



The intro as it is right now only has footage from rehearsals and test runs, as well as footage from the first movie. Look it's Roy and Tabije.

Speaking of Tabije, I'm glad to say that the boys in Texas had a successful shoot last Saturday. They knocked out quite a bit of footage from the pages I sent them for this episode, and I can't wait to see it all put together with the stuff I'm shooting here.

This wednesday I hope to work on the Bud Light ads more, get some work done for ExpoTv, and hopefully get into some Monster Cops footage. I NEED A CAMERA PERSON!

I honestly don't think I could be more excited...

about a summer movie season. Indy, Batman, and ...



Yeah, eat it Spidey.

Obstacles

I think the hardest thing about making a movie is holding on to that fire. It's not that the passion ever goes away. It's just that so many other things take place in life that make it hard to get back to that passion.

Again it's about Juggling things. But not just juggling, but juggling well. Really getting it all done. Putting as much of yourself into your work as you can. And all those other things you have to worry about when you're trying to achieve any goal, paying bills, worrying about your health, car troubles, etc. You have to try to keep up with all of that at the sametime.

This is all a part of the juggle. It's about trying to make that car payment, and keeping yourself healthy, while drawing up those production sheets. It's about making sure you've got all the birthdays covered, making sure you put in enough hours at the day job, make sure you reach your project deadlines, while thinking about what your lighting situation will be for a particular scene.

It is hard enough to have to do your own production design and props and costumes, but having to do all that while your trying to plan out what you're going to cook for the family that night, what groceries you'll need for that week, and whether or not you can get the laundry folded before you put in the next 3 loads. That's beyond juggling.

Of course much of this could be remedied by simply getting paid to make movies, but in order to get there you have to start with nothing. You have to work for free, in order to get to a place where you can work for yourself. The Midnight Special was the first step, the next Monster Cops project is another step, bringing us closer to working on a feature with a budget, or working on a web series with a budget, which ever comes first really.

But again you've got to do what you can to hold on to that fire. I'm convinced that's why so called "bad things" happen. It's the purpose of an obstacle. For something to get in your way, it should only fuel your fire. It's the unexpected bill, the unforseen car trouble, the shitty day job, and the people that tell you you can't do it. It appears to be the thing to bring you down, but it's fully designed to make you work harder for that dream.

So the next time something gets in your way, throws you off course, puts you down, or knocks you out, you use it as an excuse to get up and keep going. You embrace ambiguity. Welcome the fight. Instead of seeing an obstacle as just something in your way, see it for what it truely is. It is the thing that helps define you. It doesn't actually block your path, because when you go around it, it helps define your path. The rocks that were blocking your way are now the landscape that helps create the road way to your dreams.

In truth everything and everyone is actually conspiring to help you. So make your own path, fuel that fire, and keep juggling.

If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.
- Frank A. Clark

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.

Change before you have to.



In other words, don't wait for the plane crash.


And as you follow your own advice Mr. Prejusa, it would be a good idea to stay on track. So ...

- JB Video Project
- Bud Light Video Project
- Expo TV Ads
- Monster Cops
- H and K ads

In that order. And you're already behind on one of them.

XLNT ADS AMAZING PITCH 2

Xlnt Ads had this great idea to have a contest to see if they could find a really great pitch or trailer for a web series. And guess who got a runner up prize?

Yup, that's right, MONSTER COPS.

Monster Cops got a $500.00 prize as well as the possiblity to get sponsors to help fund future episodes. Awesome. Really I was just aiming for the $500.00.

See the XLNT Ads blog about it.

Check out the Video that was submitted yourself.

the love you take is equal to the love you make

Wanna make a movie? Learn to juggle.

From Wikipedia:

Juggling is a form of object manipulation. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, where the juggler throws objects through the air.

The word "juggling" derives from the Middle English jogelen to entertain by performing tricks, in turn from the French jongleur and the Old French jogler. There is also the Late Latin form joculare of Latin joculari, meaning to jest

Other definitions on the web:
- juggle: the act of rearranging things to give a misleading impression

- To keep (two or more objects) in the air at one time by alternately tossing and catching them.

- to engage in manipulation especially in order to achieve a desired end

But here's my favorite one, and the one that sums it up for me.

- Juggling is simply the manipulation of time and space to create the necessary patterns during a routine, or anything Else in life for that matter.

For me I'm equating the art of juggling with making a movie. And like learning to juggle (which I am still actually quite horrible at) you can't start out without dropping a few balls. (insert dirty joke here.)

And learning to juggle is frustrating. You hardly succeed in catching your "prop" in the beginning. And thus begins a series of endless moments where you drop things and then chase after them bent over forwards, your arm outreached, hand trying to grab it, as it rolls away from you. Not unlike learning to make a movie independetly and with no money.

You can't afford a production manager, or a prop master, or a location scout, or a script supervisor. Of course you can put the call out and find people willing to help you for screen credit and no pay, but in the end much of these things are so important to your production that you don't want to risk asking someone to take on a task and then not show up to do it. So you do it all, or as much as you can. And this is where it is very much like learning to juggle.

My first few attempts I was constantly dropping the ball. Not truely understanding that I needed to catch one thing, while tossing up another, and still keep my eyes on all 5 balls. It truely is about multiple manipulation of time and space. You've got to get the script done, coordinate meetings, schedules, costumes, locations, at the sametime, find time to cast extras, do rewrites, talk to the special fx guy, and then there's those pesky bills, day job, and everyday life and stuff.

When it comes to throwing balls in the air, I'm not so good. But when it comes to juggling the tasks of a nobudget indie movie, I've gotten the hang of it. You do something enough, you get use to it, you improve upon it, and you become better at it. And that's a good feeling. Like all things new to you, you reach that point where you start to get the hang of it. You find your footing, you're not so nervous about it, not so anxious, a little bit more at ease. You understand what goes first, what comes next, and how to keep the process in motion.

I finalized the script this week, and now I immediately move to script notes, actors meetings about dialogue, production sheets, cast reports, location reports, scene reports, and additional casting. And I feel good about it. Mainly because I remember when this was about the time I would drop the ball. I remember finishing the script, and then being happy about it, and then not knowing what the next step to take was. But now I get it. I understand this process more, and it may not be the same process other filmmakers, or other productions, but it's the process that works for me. It's how I know things get done for my movies, and it's working out well.

Haven't dropped the ball yet, and I don't think I'm going to. I may not be all that great at juggling, but I understand the concept. I understand what it takes to manipulate things in order to achieve the desired end. And when I've got my act together I hope that everyone will enjoy the show. And then I hope to jump right back into it all over again.

I hope one day I can make movies as good as this guy juggles.

"The beginning is always today."

- Mary Wollstonecraft

so true.

Production Update March 10th

After months of toiling with it, rewrites, re-rewrites, and re-re-rewrites. The script is finalized and ready to shoot. I still have a ton of people to contact. If you were one of the people I talked to months ago and you haven't heard from me in a while, I apologize, but I will get back in touch with you soon and let you know what is what.

And can you believe it, I'm still casting, but that notice will be out soon enough. In the meantime, I've secured most of the main cast, and the ones that I've been accesible to (meaning the ones that live near me) I've been doing some rehearsing with, trying on the gear, just generally getting use to folks, getting them get use to eachother, and getting them use to myself. Here are a few pics of what's been going down.

The completed MKX300 Gun Prop.

Side shot of the completed prop.

Brandon holding the weapon, while wearing a costume I mistakenly thought was a good idea at the time.

The incomparable Greg Romeo, playing the part of Carl.

Greg and Brandon.

Greg Romeo, Chris Plouffe, Will Atwood, Danielle Motley, Brandon White. Most of the main cast.

And when I asked them to pose sexy, this was the result.

More later.

Black Ops Patches

A bit on MSN I found. Here's a link for future research.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/118841?GT1=43001

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."

- Aristotle Onassis

Sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Hello, I'm sick. Nothing major, just a sinus infection. Nothing so bad that it's life threatening, but just bad enough to be annoying and distracting. And just as I'm trying to finalize this script that needs to be shot ASAP.

But that is how it goes. I need to write and work on music and I'm too sick to do so. But that's ok because 5 documents crucial to the script have been deleted and so have their back ups. Also one of my cameras decided to die, leaving me with 2 cameras.

All is not lost. Oh poor Patrick now you only have 2 cameras and access to a few more. And as far as the script is concerned, I'll just take it as a sign that I need to rethink the direction I was going in. I've got the story down in my head, so no prob putting it on paper. Now if I can just stop being sick and regain my concentration.

But it could be worse. I could have problems that I hate.

Diablo steals the Oscar!

So very proud of you my dear.

Google "Diablo Cody wins an Oscar" if you haven't a clue as to what I'm talking about.

It's all coming back to me now

The actual trailer will be avaiable online soon. But if you can't wait, check out the bootleg now.

That feeling came back to me when I was watching it. That magic that makes you want to make movies. Like the first time you see the grand canyon, the statue of liberty, the kremlin, your first broadway show. Like being in church and being swept up in the spirit, like God was touching you.

This is my church.

I've gone back in time

There's huge buzz about the new Indiana Jones trailer debuting tomorrow. Check it out if you go see the Spiderwick Chronicles. It should be online shortly after that. I'm hella excited of course, but it's all so odd to me. All this talk about the next Indiana Jones, more talk about the next Batman. I came home the other day and saw back to back commercials for Knight Rider and American Gladiators.

I've certainle entered some sort fo timewarp. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to put on my members only jacket, slip on my reeboks, get on my schwinn, and meet up with some friends over at Mazzio's Pizza where we'll spend the next few hours playing Commando and trading Garbage Pail Kids cards.

Heaven's gonna need a bigger boat!!!

Thank you for all you've done. Thank you for the wonderful body of work. Thank you so very much Mr. Schieder.

I'm quite sad about this.

Writing Research for Monster Cops

Don't mind me. These videos are just notes for me to remember as I finish writing this episode of the next Monster Cops.

Monster Cops Vlog 020908

Visual FX Test 2808

Gunfights are mandatory in Monster Cops. But good gunfights are a requirement. In all honesty you can't beat the real thing. And when I say real thing I actually mean blank firing guns. I've used them in the past and they are just amazing. I am fascinated by the use of prop nonfiring guns and then later compositing gun fire over the footage, but with blank guns you get the same realism you'd get with the real thing. The smoke, the blowback, the shell ejecting, and just that overall feel and sound.

However I do have to run tests to look at my options, because putting the gun effects in after the footage has been shot costs me nothing. Now I do have blank guns, but some of these scenes call for more than one gun firing within a shot. So here I am testing it out, gun flash composites, nightvision filter, I even threw in a neat little blast just for the heck of it. Let's see the 20 second test shall we.



So what do I think. I think it's rather neato to watch, but I still think it's not up to par for what I want. First of all I haven't put in the shells being ejected and for me that's a big minus. I like to see the actual action on the gun and the shells pop out with each shot. I think some of the flashes look fine, but too long on the shots and they look too produced. The gun sounds are fine, seeing as how I recorded them myself from real guns. I like the nightvision, should fit in fine with our other nightvision footage. The blast really sucks. Heck I'm looking for perfection here and I haven't found it. However some of this in small spurts cut in with the actual blank firing gun footage should do fine. Vince DeNiro I wish I could afford ya. Perhaps when we do the feature.

In other news I'm actually finished with casting for this episode, but if you were looking to be cast, not to worry, I've got so many great resources and people now that I've just got to do 2 or 3 more, so I'm actually still casting for two more Monster Cops shorts. But more on that later.

Video blog coming up on locations, fx, casting, rehearsals, and all of the behind the scenes goodness that is Monster Cops.