Above all else - this is a statement for Mr. John Hipwell…who (rightly) had doubted the time of the film following the first read-through (clocked at 45 minutes).
I - on the other hand – ‘knew’ that the 75-page script – in my hands would gain length in light of my directorial pace:
I love pauses between looks and I know how I’d like to pace actors’ performances; slow-burns, explosive outbursts that careen unhinged and unbridled.
90 minutes of screen-time. And this is for a super-tight cut.
Still I’m glad for John’s insistence - it was good to have the extra footage in hand – it gives considerable more material to the editor in post.
Anyway – I’m on schedule to submit to festivals in 2-3 weeks.
I’ll make an announcement closer to the date.
Also launching our web-presence then – including footage on you tube, trailers, web commerce, merchandise, soundtrack (composed by Luca X) etc.
Very excited…
Real title revealed in 8 weeks.
Web page launch at the same time - yet to devise the details.
Editing the last 3 scenes – I’m excited, thrilled and little scared.
Next is actually putting the scenes together.
Putting the 30 odd scenes into a cohesive whole.
Will it still hold?
I tried to treat each scene as a jewel in a necklace –
Polish each jewel and trust the screenplay did its role of telling the story.
Started editing day 5
The last day of the shoot: Jesus we did a lot of takes. Maybe a few were NG for sound but still…
By the end of the week we were firing in all cylinders.
The CHW-JH team working like a well-oiled machine with the many cameras; and it was only the 6th day of shooting (we started counting on Saturday at day 0) – only 6 days to get used to working in a new team and in a new way, all the technology - the hurdles of production, etc – 6 days is a very short time.
Anyway - there’s little lag between “rolling…mark it…and frame”
In earlier days – I find myself scrolling through the scene to discover that
The clapper board is somewhere in the middle of the file.
But on day 5, it is snap – right there at the beginning of the file and this is take after take after take – it’s relentless!
What can we learn from this ladies and gents?
The simple and humbling fact that a lot can be accomplished by a team of dedicated individuals passionate about doing their best.
My thank you to you again.
Anyway – I have 3 scenes to cut – the last 10 %.
Next the full assembly when I have another go at tweaking the dream.
Speaking of dreams and thank yous - as a show of courage roman gladiators used to shout "Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant" (Hail Caesar! They Who Are About to Die Salute You).
I do not intend to die - neither did the Gladiators - it was more a show of dispassionate cheek towards life and death as they chased their ultimate dream.
Here is my dream - reckon 4 more weeks. There are a couple of March deadlines I must make. I have entered the arena – I see the mission before me...Hail Caesar!
Yes, it takes me at least a week to get the bulk of the scene sorted – which is par for course really about 8 hrs for 4-5 minute scene. I think - some people claim 1 hr per 1 minute of screen time...which would ma ke me slow - but I enjoy trying out combinations - all for the better long-term - but if does chop up efficiency.
The shots were all spectacular – all worked – performances top notch– camera work steady and sure, lighting (hmm – okay but will be better next time – can be fixed somewhat in post). Sound – bit noisy but can fix.
Nearly there friends/comrades/amigos/compadres/freund...nearly there...
Long time no blog/post dear travellers. Well, I’ve been sort of busy – with what holidays and the rest. Rest assured ladies and gents I was still working on the magnum opus. Every day in fact.
Not finished yet – I’m 80% of the way there – I know, I said this before nearly there...- so what’s the hold up Dr Marzella?
The delay is due to the fact that I keep f*&^ing around with each scene a million times – then rethink the whole thing and start from scratch. All for the better I hope. Who knows? Does it matter? ‘Cause I’m having tons of fun – the footage…the footage: a kaleidoscope of options and alternatives – it’d be artistic bankruptcy to default to the obvious choices.
I even get a thrill at fixing the edit for crappy camera operating and dodgy cinematography – sorry guys, yes, no one is perfect – yet there is a semi-sexual thrill in turning a sow’s ear into a silk purse - steal a look from here cut for a reaction shot from that take trying to miss the crew or a light stand in the background.
Anyway – it still holds up!
Why do I sound excited?
Well – human nature dictates that you do get jaded even by the most beautiful of things.
Desensitisation or acclimatisation; pick your scientific terminology.
Yet MbM is still intriguing. And a promising thrill-ride.
The edit – well yes - we are beyond assembly really – not final cut but a little more than a rough cut – let’s call it a middle cut – is getting there. Still to do sound mix of course but could get there quickly.
Anyway – I'm keeping you all in suspense – I hope.
March 09 is a doable date...
You will be surprised I guarantee that...
Finished assembling/first cut of the opening scene.
It holds together very well. And lo and behold the ‘original’ cut assembly wasn’t all wasted – I ended up using large chunks of it and modifying other parts of it to fit into the new whole.
“Leap and the net will appear.”Julia Cameron
