Filmmaker Cortez

Some Insights

2011-08-19T03:27:00.000-07:00

Phil Velasquez (awesome makeup FX artist) applies some blood to my hand on the set of "Roamer." I was standing in for Chuck Phelps as "Oz" during some sequences. That's right: I do stunt work too, and I love doing it.

About midway through our "The Hush" fundraising campaign I came across this article: HERE

It's an interview with Director Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles and more) who will be releasing his first live-action flick the new Mission Impossible film. If you don't want to read the entire article, here is my favorite part - a summary of what Pixar does that everyone is chasing:

"Everyone in Hollywood says they wish they could do it like Pixar, but they really don’t. There’s no secret at Pixar, but there is a belief in letting people pursue something with passion and take chances, and most of Hollywood, really, doesn’t like that. It’s too scary. Some studio executives will say they love obsessive creators who take risks, but really most of them would rather play it safe. Projects cost a lot of money and people would rather follow patterns they know and make things safe and accessible. Hollywood wants there to be a math formula for making hit films. To make something really great and different and interesting means taking risks and following these ideas in your head." - BRAD BIRD

To sum it up: what is unique about Pixar films (which I love by the way) is that they are made with passion and risk taking embraced - while Hollywood, no matter what they claim, loves to play it safe. It's one of those things where you can either do something that is different and unlike what people are used to (in order to "sell" tickets) or you can focus in on creating a new experience and allowing the strengths of you film to bring in your audience.

Unfortunately, I feel that even independent film has become cliche'. There are now formulas for films that epitomize "indie" - ingredients that are often just as repetitive as the worst stuff pumped out of the big budget movie making machine. These films now have big money and names involved. What are we to do?

Just listen to Brad Bird: take a chance and have conviction in doing it in new way. Do not let generalized expectations of genre, movie conventions, and so forth, dictate your work.

This reinforces my belief in what I've been trying to do as a filmmaker - cater to the story, as it presents itself. Do not shift it just to make it fit into a box that everyone will recognize. People that get it, will really be moved by it (for many reasons - one of which is you did something unique).

The Hush - DIY Distribution Fundraiser

2011-07-18T16:20:00.000-07:00

The Hush is a film. However, to me, it is more than "just a movie." It is an experience. It is a journey. It is three years of my life in 90 minutes. It is close to being another child in many ways. It is hope and lessons learned in life, shown in the context of fictional characters in fictional settings.

My producer Sofia and I have decided to self distribute our film - the times and the technology have aligned so that it is very possible to do so. With companies whose sole purpose is to create a method for us (indie artists and filmmakers) to reach professional platforms, I say why not.

With a handful of public screenings in our history, I have had some amazing reactions from people that have seen my film, both artists and moviegoers. This is all the proof I need to know that I have succeeded in creating the experience I desired, but also proof to me that there is an audience for genre bending film.

THE HUSH - Screening and Event

2011-05-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

"The Hush", will be showing at the Historic Bal Theatre in San Leandro CA on Saturday night, June 11th 2011, followed by an exclusive in depth retrospective about indie filmmaking and tackling high concepts on a low budget. The cast and crew will be in attendance.

Time and Location:
7PM @ The Historic Bal Theatre
14808 East 14th Street
San Leandro CA 94578
Box Office: 510.614.1224
info@baltheatre.com

Tickets: $12
NOTE: Check Facebook Deals for discounted tickets.

*The retrospective will include a 10 minute behind the scenes video exclusive, as well as a Q&A and discussion with the cast/crew.

PURCHASE and RESERVE by clicking HERE.

The screening event will be followed by a Free After Party/Art Show @ the AMOR ETERNO GALLERY (9PM), 1227 18th Ave. Oakland, CA 94606

MitchellStreetPictures.com

Facebook event page - click HERE.

Schedule:
7PM - 8:30PM - film screens (Bal Theatre)
8:30PM - 9PM - retrospective discussion and Q&A (Bal Theatre)
9PM - Midnight - After Party and Art Show Mixer (Amor Eterno Tattoo and Art Space)

WONDERCON 2011 - Panel

2011-03-31T00:24:00.000-07:00

Greetings,
Just a quick note that I will be on a panel this Sunday (4/3/11) at WonderCon SF. The panel is about indie sci-fi/DIY filmmaking. I will be showing a clip from "Roamer," as well as discussing Sci-Fi filmmaking on the cheap. The panel begins at 2PM in Room 236.

Click HERE for more info.

Come and check it out. It will be entertaining, but especially insightful. Stay tuned for more!

The Hush - opening night of the Oakland Int'l Film Fest

2011-03-16T00:53:00.000-07:00

I am honored and excited that The Hush has been selected to open the OIFF 2011 @ the Grand Lake Theater (the movie theater I grew up in). This is our hometown premier.

The movie screens after three awesome short films around 9PM on Thurs. April 7th.

Check here for tickets or more info on the screening lineup:

http://oiff.org/films.html

If you are Bay Area, CA local come and check out the film. Much of the cast and crew will be on hand and there will be a Q&A afterward. It will be fun. Support indie filmmakers and a festival with a great purpose.

Roamer - trailer and status update

2011-02-09T00:10:00.000-08:00

A distant future where mercenaries protect the borders of civilization from a ravaged, infected outside world: 072 is a tired but tough mercenary who only yearns to be home. When he follows a 'roamer' to his hide out he discovers something that will change his world and the very orders he follows.

- - - - -

The film is nearly complete (should be ready by Spring '11). I still have to finish the VFX work (3D modeling is a new venture) but so far I am very happy with the film. Enjoy and stay tuned...

Vincent Cortez - Reel 2 - Steadicam and Music

2010-11-30T21:24:00.000-08:00

Here is a reel that features Steadicam/Camera Operation as well as some of my work as a soundtrack/music composer. It's funny to make one reel that encompasses both of those skill-sets/jobs but I thought that the visuals and music went well together. Enjoy and contact me if you have any questions.

HomeMade Gear: Light Stand/Accessory Cart

2010-10-14T13:15:00.000-07:00

Being organized on a set can help things run smoothly. If equipment is scattered everywhere, especially light stands, you can run into trouble: things can slow down, setups become searches for gear, people can get hurt, location's can get messed up, etc.

This Cart was built for nothing, but has been very useful in keeping things isolated and organized. My father was getting rid of an old shelf that had been sitting in a backroom for a while. The best thing is that it is made of real wood and it is sturdy. It was the ideal height for my light stands and had enough room to fit plenty; it also has a divider in the middle for other accessories.

I first modified the shelf by cutting squares at one end of the shelf (if it were sitting vertically) while keeping the support/structure intact. Then, I cut another piece of old shelving (from a pile of scrap wood) to create the middle and bottom brace. A few tough screws and a drill gun, and everything was done. For now, I have placed it on a furniture dolly (which I already own; though they are roughly $10 - $20 depending where you look) to maneuver it around easier.

The picture above shows four light stands (two bare and two with heads/arms) but it could fit about two more. Across the divider rests gel frames and a few rolls of gels.

I could still potentially add handles to the sides and even rubber "caster" styled, swivel wheels for off road and rougher terrain.But so far, so good.

The Hush - Soundtrack

2010-10-13T02:14:00.000-07:00

So one of the ways I've been attempting to sustain myself as a filmmaker, has to do with some of the other things I do as an artist. Those who have followed The Hush and it's development have probably seen or heard me mention that I scored (composed and recorded) my own original soundtrack.

The Hush Soundtrack is now for sale on iTunes, Amazon and CDBaby.com! Please feel free to take a listen to the samples, buy a song or two or the album if you dig it, and pass the word along.

Click HERE for a direct link to the CDBaby Artist Page.

Click THIS for an Amazon link.

Check out our page on the iTunes store HERE.

ROAMER - teaser poster + update

2010-09-10T17:58:00.000-07:00

Here is the teaser poster for the sci-fi short film "Roamer". I will be releasing another poster along with the first trailer very soon. The post process has been relatively smooth and the film is shaping up to be a very strong piece. Thanks again to everyone involved. Enjoy and stay tuned as there are more exciting things to come.

The Hush - surround sound

2010-07-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

For those who have followed my progress with The Hush, you know or can see that I have pretty much tackled everything post production related with this film myself (in the comfort of my home Mitchell Street Pictures studio).

From the majority of my VFX needs to ADR and Foley in our home built soundbooth, I have been capable and driven enough to follow through with everything.

One thing I have been slowly working towards (even though the film was completed the beginning of this year) was doing a surround sound pass on the film itself, which would give some nice viewing/listening options.

Background:

With the accessibility of great image making tools (and tons of great images) the one thing that really sets indie movies apart now is the sound. Some people record with lavs and boom mics and call it a day when they are done; they gather dialog and various on set sounds in traditionally stereo or mono formats. Not this filmmaker; I treat my sound with as much thought and care as I approach my images.

Even when I boom my actors I know that certain sounds are best created or recreated in post. If you want to emphasize a certain effect or add something more engaging you will need to do lot's of recording, mixing and re-mixing in post.

My experience:

I spent loads of time doing research and I've realized that above all other things (you can find tons of info on casting, funding, cameras, FX programs, etc.), surround sound is one of the few "best kept secrets" that major powers still guard really well. I have not seen any real "free" in depth looks, articles and videos about 5.1 surround sound mixing.

The main thing I walked away from in my quest for knowledge was noting that most "pro" audio mixers say it's 30% technical and 70% creative. Hopefully this is true.

Soon, I decided that my strategy for this 5.1 mix would be to take the individual tracks (dialog, foley, ambient and music) into Soundtrack Pro to utilize their surround sound panners. Staying organized pays off once again, as does going the extra mile with all of my audio work in terms of original recording. So far things are going well.


initial tests in Soundtrack Pro using my 5.1 setup - image © Vincent Cortez

And rather than paying tons of money to a studio/technician, I have decided to build my own 5.1 real-time audio monitoring setup for less than $210 and wear a new hat: 5.1 engineer.

The ingredients are:

Image from: www.123macmini.com

Griffin FireWave
(a discontinued product that decodes and encodes Dolby Digital and Dolby Prologic)
price: used $25 - $100 (I found mine on eBay)

* The FireWave can be used on different Mac computers (including my wife's laptop). It is an older product but there is no longer anything like this on the market, or at least something that is bus powered and affordable.

Image from: www.revolutionpc.net/store

Logitech X540
(a very inexpensive but fairly 'decent' system)
price: new $70 - $110

*There are more expensive Logitech options, but none of them will ever be totally 'true' in terms of sound replication. Read ahead to find out more on how I dealt with this.

Factors:

The Logitech system is a PC and Gaming setup that has a decent response range for the price and it also does not get incredibly loud (though it's loud enough for my editing room). As for accuracy (one major note) I have already mixed sounds on a better system months before .

My logic has been: if I can't yet afford to buy a Blue Sky Media Desk (5.1 or 7.1 system) I won't spend to much money on the system because it will never be 100% bullet proof and true.

This Logitech X540 5.1 system will 'color' my sound slightly but I am only using it to monitor placement and general affect.

I spent months mixing on a really solid and accurate 2.1 Blue Sky system (which again was the best bang for my buck). When I screened The Hush for Cast/Crew/Friends back in December of '09 I had already worked hard to get an accurate mix. And I was not disappointed when I heard it played back through the Dolby system they had in the theater: even though it was in 2.1 the volume, highs and lows on my mix where identical in the theater and at my desktop.

Conclusion:
In order for my film to be taken as seriously as possible I must offer a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix along with my 2.1 mix. It's just the nature of the business side of what we do. Movies with shoot outs and creepy things are just begging for the immersive experience that 5.1 offers: and The Hush has those things to offer.

For a fairly low amount (when compared to rates of expensive audio houses/mixers and really expensive monitors and breakout boxes), I have developed a very nice 5.1 monitoring station.

I now have the ability to experiment with my 5.1 mix. I will be testing them on different sized systems to figure out which 'experience' I like best.

Stay tuned for more!

The Hush - Videography Magazine article

2010-07-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

The Hush is being featured in an article by Videography Magazine. The article (in print) is a summary with a bigger link to an online article I wrote. The article itself is based on the Blackmagic Design write up that was done for the film which studied the usage of an inexpensive capture card to get "priceless" results. However, with this article, I was able to incorporate a little more methodology and back-story while still touching on the technology.

Check out the article here:
http://www.videography.com/article/96250

Roamer - progress update 1

2010-06-08T23:11:00.000-07:00

I've been getting to work on the sci fi short Roamer since getting some time to focus on my personal projects once again. So far, I am very close to a locked cut. There are a few pickup shots needed to get here and there, and some serious VFX testing to get under way. We already started some ADR and foley work. So far so good; I am very pleased with what we have in our hands and I am grateful to all of those who made Roamer a reality. I will be grabbing some still frames for you to check out soon.

For now, check out some pre-viz work I recently re-encountered. We used these before production began and I figured I'd share them:

This is 072 (Zachary Gossett). A soldier living in his element, hunting and tracking; yearning for the day when he can return home.

This is Oz (Chuck Phelps). An infected, 'roaming' person with secrets to protect and little time remaining.

This is a test of a perspective from our Drone (a hunting machine). There will be more composite and motion graphics work done to the perspective: a militaristic HUD. I can't show you the Drone itself yet, but it was built in 3D space by Mark Jeschke at OogaMedia and it is very menacing.

Here are some storyboards as given life by Aaron Jasper (illustrator and writer). What's funny is that these are almost identical to the shots I used in editing (without even referencing my boards) even though we shot two cameras and got tons of coverage. All the shots were usable and great, but I guess internally I know and feel what I need to see next and it doesn't change.

There's plenty more to come so stay tuned...

Foley Work - Gary Hecker

2010-05-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

I've been slowly putting together loads of things for The Hush special features. A big part of the post process for us, was the foley and sound designing stages. They were fun and challenging; and there was always a need for time and patience. Layers must be built one at a time and then combined or filtered to get the right final sound.

In the meantime, while I put our The Hush version together, check out this video about Gary Hecker by Michael Coleman. Besides being insightful, it gives you a look into something that most movie goers take for granted, but this something brings the world movies take place in to life. Hecker is a seasoned professional who's worked on numerous high budget films, but it is an art form which he enjoys very much.

The funny thing is, when we did our foley passes on The Hush, we approached it in the same fashion (we had the same mindset and ideas for organizing ourselves and the executing the process). It seemed to come almost naturally. Granted our space was not as big, our equipment not as high-end and we don't nearly have as large a collection of sound making objects, we did spend the time and expelled our creativity in building our world with sound.

HomeMade Gear: The Cortez SoftKick

2010-05-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

I was actually tweaking with a really old small light housing and harness for a few years now; the light itself seemed to be a 100W flood light that was for news studio production. For the longest time I could not get "News Light" to work properly. When we finally sliced and diced its power supply and got it up and running, we realized three things: (1) The light itself needed to be plugged in to some type of power grid, that (A) I wasn't willing to buy and (B) why the hell would I buy it. (2) The lamp is this thin 100W lamp that is not even made anymore nor is there a manufactured equivalent. (3) The only thing of real value in the "News Light" was the light housing assembly itself (shape of the housing, the reflective - textured aluminum inner housing, bracket for mounting to stands).

Fast forward a few years later, and here I am looking to add another light that I can have some decent control over to my collection. On a few projects recently I have been using standard clamp on lighting (can be found at Home Depot; uses standard screw-in bulbs of varying wattage) to add variation or 'kick' here or there on an object or person. I won't go into to much technical detail because I think Scott explains it really well HERE.

Store bought CLAMP ON LIGHT (socket, clamp and housing) reference:

The lights themselves are handy. But the drawbacks for me have been: the inner reflector, I feel is very harsh and the clamp mount assembly can occasionally be annoying and flimsy.

I basically took apart the clamp housing and reflector, took the bare socket and cable, did some very minor drilling and cutting on the New Light housing, then transferred the clamp-on harness and secured it into the News Light housing.

NEWS LIGHT HOUSING with high rated internal socket and cable from the CLAMP LIGHT referenced above:

I put in a Reveal 60W G&E bulb (fairly inexpensive with a 'cooler' color temperature) and I am very happy with the results. The aluminum textured inner coating creates a softened yet even light. It is perfect for a slightly off camera rim light or kicker and it can mount to my light stands and adjusts easily. It is secured and functions like I hoped; I'll use it in whatever I work on next. Stay tuned!

UPDATE:
I've been using the 60W CFL light bulbs with a 5.5K color temperature and it works great as rim light and even a soft fill light.

The Hush - Official Poster

2010-05-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the final design for "The Hush" movie poster. As much as I enjoy the teaser poster, I wanted a solid and conventional movie poster that conveyed the atmosphere of the film, yet maintained the graphic novel feel of the teaser. Enjoy.

Roamer - halfway through shooting

2010-03-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

Vincent Cortez working with Chuck Phelps and Zachary Gossett

I am happy to say that we finished about 60% of the filming for the project.

We ended up focusing on shooting all of the INT. scenes our first weekend of production. The shoot went well, though I was a little over zealous with the scheduling. So we will finish off the rest of the film in two coming shoot days.

I am working with a really solid team of people and I want to make sure that we give everything it's due time. From our cast to our sound team, through FX and Camera/Lighting, everyone brought so much creativity and energy to the project. I thank them for their commitment and time.

Here is some behind the scenes imagery from the film. Thanks to Jesse Dana (Director of Photography), Anthony Lucero (2nd Camera Op) and Phil Velasquez (Special FX Designer and Artist) for taking the photos.

Zachary Gossett is Soldier 072.

Chuck Phelps is Oz (with FX Makeup by Phil Velasquez).

Stay tuned as there will be plenty to come.

Sci Fi Short: Roamer

2010-02-18T01:23:00.000-08:00

Zachary Gossett and Chuck Phelps star in Roamer, a futuristic tale about survival and humanity.

Some time has passed since I took the full helm of a film project (the Hush was shot in the summer of '08) and while I was a co-Director on one film, a producer/DP on another and a writer/producer/2nd Unit Director on one more film, it feels good to be back in the driver's seat.

We've been hard at work putting this film together. I am working with some very talented and familiar people. We've spent loads of time crafting and designing the world and are very close to shooting. Stay tuned as there is much more to come!

Featured in Black Magic Design's website

2010-02-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

The Hush and I have been featured in a case study online at the Black Magic Design 'User Story' section. They had a lot of great things to say and I am honored by their interest; thanks to Black Magic Design for making this possible. You can check it out here: CLICK.

Location Scouting for a new Sci Fi short

2010-01-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

I spent a large portion of the day with Zachary (the 'Hush') Gossett doing some location scouting for a short we are working on. We were in my 'backyard' doing some exploration for a story about a futuristic soldier who patrols the borders of an infected shantytown.

If everything goes well, we'll be in for quite the adventurous shoot, braving the elements an tackling a very interesting story. Stay tuned...

Declaration of Sovereignty

2010-01-11T18:22:00.000-08:00

SOVEREIGN - autonomous: not controlled by outside forces; "an autonomous judiciary"; "a sovereign state" - from wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Today I officially declare myself publicly, though it's taken shape for a while, as a sovereign filmmaker. Major film powers seek certain things: big names (from actors to producers), familiar people (many of the same "in" crowd), marketability and money. I need none of those things to tell entertaining and intellectual stories for an audience of people. As the film world changes we've gone from exclusivity as one system (Hollywood) to adding Independent film, and now I feel a third division of filmmaking coming in to existence. It is not exactly free media but it is more independent than independent film.

In an environment where major festivals are now only concerned with what films attract and draw in audiences to their 'products' and not the art of filmmaking. We are currently in a world where many independent film festivals claim to seek new voices and visions, only to seek out a specific voice (a friendly and trendy one) that caters to certain demographics. Their claims are false. Independent film has changed with the onset of digital technology: big names are able to step away from their day jobs and for 1/2 million dollars they are able to make an 'independent' film (assuming we use the textbook definition as a movie without major studio backing). The money is still coming from the same place, and their names are bound to draw attention.

Some people who doubt have said "it can't be..." but when you really step back, you can see it. Even if a movie with no names and no real large budget can stand toe-to-toe, pound-for-pound with some big time "independent" film in terms of story, acting, editing, sound etc. that does not mean it will be programmed or received in the same way. Even the old: "if it was really that amazing then people would see it" OR "they would have to program it" are FALSE. If it doesn't meet their criteria of 'indie' film they won't go for it.

I have been making films and storytelling since my youth and I have never needed any aide from any outside entity. As I developed as a filmmaker I both learned to create my own voice but I also learned the skills and craft to create my own piece from conceiving to mastering (and I mean almost everything: just check out the Hush's credits). The Hush itself was made with the contributions of many "no-named" talents who I feel really excelled in their craft; they were driven by creativity and a passion for their art not the draw or market to sell a product. We never once felt the need to change what we do in order to cater to anyone. The money spent came directly from my pocket to make sure that the essentials were there. The most inspiring part of it all was that our creativity was never hindered by our lack of resources, budget or star power, even when making an epic supernatural film noir. I have my own studio and resources that I have either built or collected to be a self sufficient film entity. My films and stories can be told with or without any other entities influence and resources.

The field to catch an audience (in a festival and industry sense), is not even. For as many bad films that get their shot in the limelight, there are many more that are exceptional that never get to see the light of day. Thankfully enough the internet and it's media capabilities are in their infancy, and things are shifting for better or worse.

I am a sovereign filmmaker because I can function autonomously within a system that is around and outside of my existence and not rely, be influenced or have to report to that system. Anyone who relies on certain elements of that outside force are 'independent'.

Stay tuned for updates and don't be afraid to stop being a dependently independent filmmaker.

The Hush - LA Reel Film Festival

2010-01-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

The Hush was able to participate in a virtual festival. I was not entirely familiar with a virtual fest outside of the concept that the films are viewed by judges in a venue that is more geared towards awarding and recognizing achievements rather than public viewing.

Now as much as I am looking forward to an official public premier (this fest technically maintains that world premier status), it was great to get recognition for all of the cast and crews hard work.

The Hush received an "Honorable Mention" award in competition which is nice considering our budget was probably a very microscopic fraction of what our competition had. It feels good to have industry people acknowledge our hard work. Stay tuned...

Introduction to "Making The Hush"

2009-12-16T11:53:00.000-08:00

This video was presented to the audience that made it out to the Hush's private screening. It was just an introduction to what will be a larger look at the making of a high concept, suspense film on a very low budget. This introduction focuses mainly on the mindset and approach to tackling pre through post.
Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions/comments.

The Hush - First Private Screening

2009-12-13T16:45:00.000-08:00

Thanks to those who came out to the Hush's big night. We had a great turnout of artist, family and friends coming to view the completed film. After nearly a year of post-production, I was able to share the film and all of our hard work with the people who made the movie a reality, people who gave me a piece of their lives.

Dwayne Soriano (Co Producer) awaiting the start of our private screening at the Ninth Street Independent Film Center in San Francisco, CA.

I've received some great feedback and encouragement from many people and it felt like the audience was really captivated by the tone, atmosphere but especially the characters and the story. I was able to stand in the back and watch people react to the film.

I am also realizing that the old system of "make a movie" and going to a festival is not quite what it used to be. Some festivals seem to be looking only for A list talent and names as well as big budget pictures. If they aren't programming big names or money, they are programming drama comedies, coming of age stories or very marketable flavors of the month.

What I enjoy most about the Hush is that it cannot be categorized. It has many elements but it does not fall into the conventions or bins that genre films do. The film is a character piece about one man's difficult journey. It is meant to evoke emotion and engage the audience (make people think), not spoon feed people plot points or thrill them with cheap scares.

Last night was a test to see if people would feel the movie, if it would move and make them think. Now I can say that it passed; my work to this point has paid off.

Special thanks to all the fantastic people who lent a hand in putting on the event.

Me and the Little-Camera-That-Could

2009-12-04T00:53:00.000-08:00

Say hello to my little friend... the Canon HV20.

To date, this camera has shot 3 short films (soon to be 4), two feature length films, one music video and at least 20+ hours of family occasions (including the first five or so minutes of my daughter's life). This camera has earned a spot in a bullet proof housing which will rest in my office like a retired fighter plane in an air museum.

A bare bones Canon HV20. Image from CamcorderInfo.com

The Canon HV20 was released in 2007, I purchased one not long after it launched because some investigating sparked excitement in my "gear" head. When brand new it cost around 1,000 bucks in Kit form (wide angle adapter, extra battery and bag). It shot to tape (which compresses and loses quality) when the market for HDV was emerging. But even shooting to tape, the results where promising at that time: the camera was not very "noisey" if you played with the electronic controls/settings. I would use it to shoot one short film, both as a filmmaking exercise and camera test. I was already thinking about tackling a feature and if this camera gave me something I hoped for, she would be the lucky one.

As it turns out, I was quite happy with the results this little champ mustered out. A 1/2 inch CMOS and 24P shooting (3:2 removal required) were great attributes. As time progressed I learned more tricks to gain some more control over the image (eg. the "block-to-wide-open" trick to get a 1/48ths Shutter in Cine Gamma mode).

I already liked the performance of the bare camera, but I would soon add accessories and rails while maintaining mobility and speed. It allowed me two shoot in a familiar style. The real magic happened in two ways:

The Letus Mini 35 minus lens of your choice. Image from LetusDirect.com

1.) The Letus Mini 35mm lens adapter would give me the Depth-of-Field I had been searching for; something that I had long yearned to have in video since my earliest adventures in movie-making. When I was 8 years old my Uncle Raul gave me a really cool camera body (which I still have) that I could hook up to a VCR to record it's video signal. The coolest thing was that this camera had a really sweet lens that had macro functions and some manual focus control. So now, I would have an HD image and some filmic depth of field. The next step would be finding good deals on great lenses.

Screengrab from an initial lens adaptor shooting test. Image by VC.

Intensity Pro minus a tower & connected HDMI cable. Image from BlackMagic-Design.com

2.) The Black Magic Intensity Pro capture card which allowed for HDMI direct capture directly onto your computers hard drive. It would send out an uncompressed HD signal that I could capture with plenty of visual slack to tweek color and decrease digital artifacts.

Shooting at night.

WARNING: There were certain requirements for shooting with this Canon HV20/Letus Rig. Already considering a single sensor camera does not handle low light very well, the lens adapter only added to lost light. To put it simply, you had to overlight in many circumstances.

ALSO: The fact that Canon would not allow you to adjust the shutter, iris and gain both individually and independently sucks. I mean, even if we had to do it electronically that would have been earth-shattering; but NO, they don't want to kill their own business (understandable to a point).

BUT if you spent enough time toying and testing this thing, you could find a way to find the ideal (sometimes just acceptable) setting(s). It was sometimes a fight, like give and take, with this camera; however, if I could walk away satisfied with the imagery, then it would feel like a win.

CAMERA BREAKDOWN

- - - - -
The camera package in it's entirety can fit in to one sturdy, medium sized case.

A.) HV20 and it's accessories: 3 batteries, the fast charger, Bag, Cables, Wide Angle Adapter, lens cleaner, LCD hood and HDV tapes.

B.) The Lens adapter and a padded foam and a few pairs of AA batteries. As well as a rail system with lens supporter and base plate.

C.) 3 Lenses in their own protective bags/pouches (30, 50 and 85mm) as well as various sets of filters.

"Look how much space I don't take up..."

I heavily enjoy being mobile and light, the outfitted HV20 with lens adapter and lens weighs less than 10 pounds. This camera package worked great. I've seen high end HD Cameras and 35mm/S16mm film shoots where it takes a team of people to move all various boxes and components around, not to mention having a team of people operating the cameras. With the HV20, I could easily be a one-man-army and strike like lightning when necessary. Don't get me wrong, it would be fantastic to shoot with a big camera team, with a 40 pound or 60 camera, but for now: this little camera can do it.
- - - - -

While it is true now that you can spend the same amount on an VDSLR (Canon 7D with the basic zoom lens) that I spent on this HV20/Letus rig, you should think about your budget and the ever changing realm of technology before you sink your teeth into a camera. I have my issues with the 5D and 7D (ergonomics, functionality and heavy compression) and it's awesome imagery, but honestly the biggest investment one could make would probably be acquiring fast prime lenses for whatever camera you'll end up with. The technology world changes so fast that today's hot new digital cinema camera will become what the HV20 is now: old news. The glass however (lenses), will most likely be the same.

Note: Photos of Me and the Camera thanks to Corine Aubin.

To conclude, create a camera package that meets your needs. If you like the image quality and the things that can be done with that footage then great: the content is where it really counts anyway.

Filmmaker's Journey: Reflection PART 2

2009-11-12T22:34:00.000-08:00

LIVE THE PROCESS -
What's funny to me now is thinking back about my 'blogging"/"online buzz" building plans before production began. I guess it would have been easy to do if I were an avid blogger/twitter-pated/facebooker but I have never been one for that type of thing. I had planned to write weekly journals and post information on how things were going, that seems to be the route of most digital film maker's these days (and for some it pays off). But one thing I realized is that it did not really work with my style: I get so engrossed in the process that it becomes my life; there was never an open window to step into a third person and analyze what I was doing. Besides, I like to let me work speak for itself. I did not have a team of people to document my journey; my time was spent being a filmmaker. My family life was engulfed by filmmaking (that's why we shot during the summer). My wife and super-producer Sofia, my daughter and I were living and breathing the filmmaking process. We slept on a set that we turned our living space into. Shoot on a weekend, backup footage and do rough assemblies to make sure I was getting what I wanted on a Monday, Tuesday was spent relaxing with the family, then Wednesday and Thursday we got back to the production coordination and gathering just in time to shoot on Friday. It was crazy, fun and demanding but in a weird way it was symbiotic. It took my energy but it gave back two-fold; I was living my dream no matter what.

SACRIFICE -
Another thing to touch upon is how much one is willing to give up in order to fulfill the needs of tackling a feature film. Granted everyone is different but I think that one thing is for sure: you have to give up a certain part of your life/career to work on a film. Everyone has different living situations, day-to-day needs and so forth, but when you are making a film, time becomes your worst enemy. I had to give up working for nearly a half-a-year. In and around that time I turned down some work, just so that I would not rob my project of the necessary energy. I checked my savings account and prepared to live as frugal as humanly possible for the coming months. It was scary; but for me, it was necessary.

WORK WITH YOUR FRIENDS -
An enormous boost of confidence and energy for me was the fact that I trusted my cast and crew with our work together. I run my sets like a big family and I think everyone felt that. Some of the best compliments I've ever heard came from people taking in the 'welcoming' 'hard working' 'humble' nature of a Mitchell Street Pictures set. To me that made a great deal of difference. Also I knew everyone who was on set from the actors to the crew (the majority I had already worked with in various capacities). Zach Gossett (the Hush) and I spent a year working as director-actor that really turned into a friendship: he trusted me with the story and the journey I was putting in front of him, and I really could not envision anyone else, after all of the work and building we'd done, playing my lead. Ashley B. Eberlein (the Director of Photography) was also attached to the project at an early stage. We were able to create our visual language and certain story characteristics over various meetings and test shoots. We pre-visualized every shot in advanced and I knew that if she saw something she liked on set she would be able to capture it while still maintaining that visual language. Finally, and very much worth mentioning, Sofia L. Cortez, my producer and Assistant Director, was there from square one. She was involved with the script writing, listening to me read pages to her late at night, working on production breakdowns while I organized myself creatively. She was the technical brain while I was the creative know-no-limits madman, she was my secret weapon, she was my alarm clock and wake up call when she needed to be.

SPECIAL FX -
The mask up top and the majority of the appliances we used were created by Phil Velasquez of FreakShop Fx. Phil is always a pleasure to work with: his technical skills and abilities are matched by his creativity and ability to work on the fly when necessary. This was our 4th collaboration. We met months in advance to bring various characters to life. Working from some of my designs, Phil's and some improvisation here and there, we set out with specific ideas in mind and those grew as people began to embody the characters. I used some CG/Visual effects work by the talented Mark Jeschke. He built VFX "appliances", worked some amazing Roto and guided the rest of the visual effects. Overall we sought to create subtle FX work that never tries to steal the limelight from the story itself. I've seen to many films that begin relying on VFX to 'carry' their piece and as much as I admire well done VFX, I did not want to make an FX heavy movie.

In a month, I've written about making this film more than I did after an entire year of production and post. It's funny how things work out sometimes.

The Hush - Poster Design

2009-11-11T22:31:00.000-08:00

This is my final design for The Hush poster. I wanted something that was rough and unpolished (bare bones, if you will). It was important that it maintained a graphic novel vibe while being as intriguing as possible. Enjoy!

HomeMade Gear: Doorway and Pipe LightJack

2009-11-02T01:45:00.000-08:00

Here is a nifty little thing I've been tinkering with. I call it my 'LightJack'. It is a versatile mixture of very inexpensive objects ranging from 2x4s to C-Clamps. I recently came off of some doc style work where I was in charge of carrying out lighting/gripping orders: there is always that point where the stands are to cumbersome or Cardellini clamps can't mount properly.

Cardellini clamps are great. BUT when it comes to surfaces they can't fit on everything and they don't adjust as much as I'd like. Perhaps the biggest drawback for me personally is the price $65-$85 (depending on where you look).

For slightly under $35, I came up with two distinct lighting accesories than can be used individually or in tandem.

First, we have a "Cortez Clamp" with a 5/8 stud mounted on by small heavy duty tube clamps. It is not welded but could be at some point soon; the clamp can fit on most doors and small trim. The 5/8 stud is also height adjustable due to the thread and socket (you can raise or lower the height from 1 to 6 inches. I made two of these bad boys: one mounts vertically, the other horizontal.

Next, we have the 2x4s which I DID NOT purchase because I have an abundance of scrap wood lying around my home. I cut a 6inch (A) and 5inch (B) piece that have rubber buffers lined and mounted on one side (I try not to destroy things). I used a metal joining bracket (also had one of these laying around) to mount a smaller 2.5 inch board at a 90 degree angle on (A). Then I purchased a large Heavy Duty Clamp that open from 0 to 24inches to connect (A) and (B) to whatever I needed. I also purchased a ratcheting strap to mount (A) to round objects with any depth of width (then I'd attach my "Cortez Clamp").

The LightJack holds lights under 20 pounds easily. If I weld the connection points and reinforce the boards it can easily handle more weight. But then again, most of my lights fall well under that weight.
Overall, the beauty is all these parts (ratchet straps, clamps and boards) can be used for other duties so I have various tools that can be combined or used solo.

Filmmaker's Journey: Reflection PART 1

2009-10-30T23:05:00.000-07:00

*Disclaimer - The opinions, experiences and beliefs you are about to read are that of a strongly independent filmmaker. If you seek technical info let me know - but it all starts with the right mindset.

DECISIONS

It was not an easy decision to potentially give up two years of my life to make my first feature film: I had really nice 'career' opportunities knocking at my door and it seemed like I could fall gently into some secured day-to-day film industry work. On the other hand, I had a great idea and some very talented people that saw something and believed in me as much as they did the idea. Also, I had been increasing the scale of my projects over the past few years; with every short I kept raising the bar for myself (testing myself as a producer and director). All signs pointed to making the movie, or taking the plunge. It was a commitment that I could not back out on and I knew that I would become something of a one-man-army in order to finish the film. The film would be a showcasing of lessons learned, relationships formed, resources both built and acquired and finally determination. The strongest drive came from a supportive artistic family who took part in the filmmaking process - and of course my daughter.

Before making the film (when still in consideration), I read an interview with Francis Ford Coppola where he said the biggest boost he had as a filmmaker was having a child: taking his life and dreams more seriously. For me, my daughter represents many beautiful things, but I also realized that this project was not going to be a camera test, a 'fun' weekend shoot or anything less than a serious professional endeavor. I'm not telling you to have children - just treat what you do with the utmost respect and professionalism.

BACKGROUND ON MYSELF: I've been making movies since I was a kid so I've learned things about storytelling over time. I've learned to envision something and try your best to recreate that vision working with other people and solving problems that arise. I've also done just about every crew position you can imagine, so I know what it's like to be in the other person's shoes. I don't have tons of money, I'm not some somebody with loaded parents or anything like that nor was I going to go so deep into debt that the movie became a 'problem'. Money has never meant 'good movie'. Creativity is the answer to not having a giant budget. Use a combination of your 'freesources' (people, places and things that you have at your finger tips) and set a budget that is manageable. For me it was under $10K. A final note - Over the years I've acquired and purchased solid gear. I've been lucky enough to be given sound equipment and lights from generous people, but I also am on the look out for the best bang for my buck so I've picked up a few useful things here and there.

BE YOUR OWN FILMMAKER - I don't personally make movies that are trying to be other movies or heavily modeled after the flavor of the month. Yes, there are influences but I strive to have my own voice - You will not see me trying to make the next Blair Witch Project or the Matrix. If you like those movies and their elements, I'm not saying too shy away from the 'found footage' angle or loose the 'bullet time', just know that people can easily tell when your biting directly from something. Be inspired, don't imitate, and do it for the sake of storytelling, don't just showcase a hot actress or some cool After Effects trickery.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE FILM:
Budget: $8,000 USD
Script Pages: 82pgs
Essential Hardware: Canon HV20, Letus Lens Adapter, Two Nikon Primes, BlackMagic Intensity Pro
Equipment - All of the equipment was owned by myself and the DP. We rented nothing.
Days of Shooting: 20+
Crew: 6 - 10 depending on the needs for a particular day. Sometimes 3-5 if things were small scale.

1.) BE PREPARED - Put as much time as you can into your planning. Whether it's storyboards, script breakdowns or creating a shooting schedule/shot list (or maybe doing all at one time), being organized helps out big time; even if it's so convoluted that only one or two people get it, that's better than no one at all getting anything. We never slowed down when shooting 'The Hush', we could not afford to fall behind. We had detailed lists of costumes, props, set design, effects, characters etc. for every single scene and a dedicated person or people (depending on the day) looking at all of those things. The entire movie was boarded (200+ boards) and cut together in my head before the first day of principal photography; there was also an abundance of lighting and 'look' tests completed months in advance. Plan your project! If you know that a particular scene involves complex things then plan one day for just that scene (whether it's an intricate scene with multiple actors pushing themselves to their limits or a sequence with lot's of angles).

I've been on too many sets where nobody knows what the hell to do first, including the director. Most of that precious time and energy is sucked up slowly while the director, producer and DP stand around trying to figure out what to do. The more momentum you bring to the set, the more organic and flexible you can be.

2.) BE A STRONG LEADER - I've worked in all sorts of different jobs, the best experience was working at an auto parts store in a really rough area in my hometown of Oakland, CA. If you can stare a 200 pound man in the face while he threatens your life over a car alternator without flinching, being scared, running and hiding or getting irate yourself - then you can handle helming a film crew without being a punk or a pushover. Exercise good communication skills, that is after all how the work must get done. Try to be as clear as possible and be patient - Remember, no one can read your mind, it's part of your job on a film set to communicate. Make decisions and don't be afraid to collaborate. If you're asking your actors to get into a trunk, then make sure you can lay in a trunk.

3.) BE PASSIONATE - Be genuinely in love with your project and material. If you think it's not strong, work on it till you feel confident. If you want to do things differently, make sure your not forgetting to tell a story. Remember that passion for an artistic project can be infectious.

4.) KNOW YOUR NEEDS - My job as a producer was to make sure that I got enough to tell my story without compromising the safety and well being of those around me. Work efficiently, sometimes work quickly and other times slowly. Unless you've got money to burn or your crew doesn't mind giving you hours upon hours, you can't waste time on a set (sometimes if there has to be downtime, I'd send a few people off to the next location to start prepping). You have to get enough footage to tell your story and sometimes (especially on a low budget) that means moving very fast. Sometimes that means not having an enormous group of people on your project. Sometimes trying to fine tune a kicker light is a total waste of time. I'm IN NO WAY saying that lighting is not important. I am, however, saying that people are more likely going to dislike a movie because of terrible acting or a crappy story than they are if there's no rim light or a dim key light. If you know that you need at least 4 shots for this scene: don't waste time lighting one shot to useless perfection.

Here we walked up a rolling metal staircase and put a lightstand on it's side to get the light at the right height and angle. Then we tossed a gang of sandbags on it and used it just like that. We did not have cardellini clamps or big jumbo stands. We made due with what we had as quickly as we could. On the flip side of that: things do take time, not everything can be done super fast. You have to slow down for particular things but it's up to you and your project where to ultimately make those decisions.

5.) THE EDIT IS THE KEY - The edit of a film is wear everything really comes together. Of course you have to put 100% of your effort in everything else, but when it comes to editing: magic can occur. You can totally rewrite a story with just editing. You could change the effect of a particular scene on an audience based on the way you cut it - things that would normally be dull can become rather interesting. Think about it: You could have shot beautiful cinematography, and pulled great performances out of actors, but if your edit of the film is bad, none of that has as strong of an impact.
I spent a month and a half on the rough cut - then I spent another 6 months refining that, cutting out 15+ minutes and tweaking actor performance choices. Editing requires a voice or language, you develop a pace or as I like to think of it... you lay down the roller coaster track. How long does the movie take to build, and is the drop able to punch enough for people to feel rewarded? Do you have lot's of ups and downs. ASK FOR FEEDBACK - Make friends with a good editor or refine your editing skills. I've cut all of my short films over the years and consider myself an efficient editor, but I still made sure I asked for a very good editor's feedback - that was crucial. Get feedback from everyone: nitpickers, Hollywood types, general movie buffs, people who don't watch a lot of movies and fellow filmmakers...

Color and The Hush

2009-08-26T15:39:00.000-07:00

These are two frame grabs from "The Hush". Color (or lack of it) in this film plays a large role in setting the tone and atmosphere of a dark and gritty world. I began by doing loads of testing both before and after production. I wanted the story to feel like a painted graphic novel that had no restraints in terms of the 'colors' journey. It would serve the stories emotion rather than trying to 'photographically' represent any true color or any pleasing print ad type visuals. To put it simple, it was the best way to tell the story.

Here is a shot of Zach Gossett (aka. The Hush) before my color pass.

The odd white balance stained my image as we anticipated so that when I did my color stylization work I would be left with a very rusty, dirtier image. So, here is the same shot after having gone through a two stage color pass.

I wanted to see bold highlight (when necessary) and very deep shadows. Notice that his skin tone holds the interesting 'rusty' texture I referred to above.

Next we have two frames (not the exact same one but within the same instance) of a fearful character (portrayed by Chuck Phelps).

So there are already lot's of grays and neutral color tones here. And there is a very harsh light coming down at a 90 degree angle.

Here are a few frames later but more or less the same shot. I've increased the intensity of the highlights, gotten rid of certain mid-tones and enriched my blacks.

Spending that time to test and think things through really paid off. Once again these are things that work well with this particular story; your needs could be completely different but putting in that time will certainly pay off.

The Hush - Trailer - 2009

2009-07-24T12:16:00.000-07:00

"The Hush" - Extended Trailer - MSP 2009 from Mitchell Street Pictures on Vimeo.

"The Hush" is near completion

2009-07-04T23:32:00.000-07:00

Yes. I know it has been a while since I last posted. Needless to say it's because I have been incredibly busy.

- Locked my Edit down ( I am glad I spent the time to really let the editing of the film come to life. The rough cut went from 1hr and 47 minutes to my current 1hr and 32 minutes).

- Performed some very interesting color stylization passes (not 'correction') using some powerful tools in After Effects. Everything was stylized to fit an emotion or an atmosphere.

- Performed some basic animation/composite work for different scenes in the film. The more complicated and intricate work is being handled by Mark Jeschke (oogamedia.com).

- ADR passes for about 90% of the dialog.

- Recorded an entire original score for my film. A dozen+ tunes move the movie along, each song serving it's specific role.

The Sound Booth was completed early in the Spring and was immediately put to use. I brought my actors back into 'the Dungeon' of Mitchell Street Pictures for some very productive ADR passes. I am currently finishing Foley work using the booth but I will have to make many trips into the city at night to grab more natural sounds here and there.

I am very proud of my work and the work of everyone involved with the project. Stay tuned please and start bracing yourself.

Gear: Homemade Soundbooth

2009-01-26T18:50:00.001-08:00

Now my goal has been to create a soundbooth for under $300; so far I am 2/3rds the way there. Now the booth as I write this is being slightly redesigned. I am hoping to use this for ADR and Foley work on my film(s). I figure that spending my target amount for something I can use all day, whenever I want and however I want is ideal.

First off, this would not be possible without some resources. My cousins, the Palacios Bros., are contractors and builders. They gave me insight and materials that saved me money (industrial grade plywood and fiberglass insulation). My uncle Carlos donated two quiet cooling fans, the kind you would find in a server room. From there I took a trip to a local depot for homes to purchase some 2x4s and screws.

The Room - This room is about 20 feet from my editing station. It is already isolated from streets and busy areas. The best part is that it used to be a dark room, so there are no windows and it is an ideal size. I made sure we built a shelf for the 13inch NTSC monitor that will be receiving a down converted signal straight from my tower. I purchased enough cable to send a video and audio signal to the talent.

Stay tuned as there is more to come on the Booth.

UPDATE: The booth was completed and used successfully for ADR and Foley work on 'The Hush'. It worked beyond my hopeful expectations and came together very professionally; I used it to create and re-create sounds for nearly 90% of the entire film.

Update + Making Of Pics

2008-11-23T11:41:00.000-08:00

So I have completed my rough cut (1 hour and 46 minutes). Besides watching and trimming my film, I have begun recording a preliminary soundtrack, doing all sorts of color/style tests, and getting ready for ADR. It feels very good to see everything (on the visual side for now) coming together well.

Here are some stills that I have recently attained thanks to Ashley E (D.P).

My wife, Sofia, is a great producer. I am allowed to be as creative as possible and she keeps me grounded to the fact that there is only a certain amount of time in a night. Or doing some serious crunching of our nightly shooting schedule so that we can roll with the punches that reality throws at us (unplanned, unwanted, often unnecessary crap).

Catering by la familia. Everyone loves mom's cooking. So thankfully she was craft services. By her good graces she provided wholesome, healthy and delicious meals for lunch and dinner.

Zach was our lead, committed to the story, the character and the project. This was taken on our first night of shooting, which in my experiences is always the most difficult day. We worked hard that night and finished in a strong fashion.

Here we are getting setup in the "warehouse". We got amazing locations for free or for trading services. You have to bargain when you have no real budget.

Here is a hungry cast and crew before we got started shooting. I cannot stress how important it is to keep your people fed and happy. It's not just about feeding people, it is about respecting what everyone brings to your project.

Here is Nick F. on the way to the "warehouse" set. We traveled together, in our giant convoy. Bringing a family feeling to the project is essential. Nick was very devoted to the material. We spent lots of time building up his character, talking with a source who knows the kind of 'real' criminal elements that Nick was embodying.

Here is our superb Crew and Cast. From left to right, Leseja (Gaffer), Dwayne (Co Producer), Cassandra (P.A as well as Capture Station Op), Shaka (Boom Op and Lighting) and Nik B. (amazing young actor).

Here are some photos during pre production. We spent lot's of time doing our storyboards. By the time we were done we had 80+ pages of storyboards for an 80+ page script.

Here I am testing out our rig way before shooting. We had to do a fair amount of camera tests to see where our strengths and weaknesses would rest, especially when using a super toy (like the HV20). I know people are talking about FILM blah, RED this, and new gen DSLRs that, but I would shoot another film with this camera. It really is about knowing the limits of your camera and creating a package that meets the needs of your story. We shot low light with a camera that everyone says "don't shoot low light with" because we knew how to set up for that.

Here is our rig being assembled in the foreground. Leseja adjusts lights and Dwayne holds my daughter in the background. This was our soundstage where we shot various things from an entire scene, to inserts and our FX shots.

Here is Ashley resting before we embarked on a difficult night. We were tackling about 8 big scenes that night. Ashley and I shared the same visual ideas about the material and she has a good eye for grabbing shots on the fly (which we ended up doing from time to time).

Here is a taste of some of our effects work. From left to right: Phil, a buddy and talented FX artist, works on Jeremiah (actor and fellow film noir fan) while Michelle (Makeup Artist) blends.

Phil and I spent time discussing and creating the antagonistic force that our hero battles.

Well that's all for now, but stay tuned for further updates on this project.

Gear: Homemade Slate

2008-10-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

Here is the "Estrada Special Clapboard": a 7 dollar, rugged, crisp sound making, 11"x 13" work horse.

A decent one can range from 60 to 180 bucks, while one with timecode generating abilities are beyond a grand. Go ahead and check online. Anything you might find for less than that is more than likely flimsy or so small it could be hard to read (I'm talking about that cheap 8 dollar one that say 'Hollywood' on it).

I assembled this bad boy, with the help of my father and two of his power tools, in an afternoon.

We used scrap pieces of wood that we measured and sanded down (no one wants splinters). The dry erase board is the key here. That was generously donated to the cause by my uncle, an awesome dude and school teacher. It came in the dimensions we needed. I used some tough cloth tape to create the grids and a permanent marker to label the section headings. I purchased the hardware, including hinge, at a hardware store for a little under 7 dollars. It's a good tool to have to sync sound, but it gives a quick visual reference when you start to edit.

I can't build a capture card, a camera or anything like that. But if there is something simple, but essential, I'd try my luck at building one.

The Feature

2008-10-03T09:04:00.001-07:00

Zach Gossett and Melody Gomez star in "The Hush"

It has been a while since I posted yet again. This time however, it has been due to my feature film taking up a large chunk of well... my life. The film is "The Hush" and the easiest way to describe it is a graphic novel, supernatural thriller. It's about victims, violence and redemption.

Chuck Phelps in character and makeup.

It was a large undertaking due to the nature of the film: action, multiple locations, all-night shoots, a lengthy script, prosthetic FX, multiple characters etc... all the while staying as far below 10 grand as possible. But I was fortunate to have a dedicated cast and crew who, beyond anything else, enjoyed the material and as cheesy as it sounds, did it for the sake of the art. I am also lucky to have a gigantic and generous family who gave their time and resources to this film (from props to vehicles, locations and hands).

Zach Gossett on location.

So far I am assembling my rough cut from about 22 hours (about 4.5 TBs) of HD video, while simultaneously shooting pickups and other smaller scale things.

Please stay tuned for a summary on the shoot, a breakdown of processes, cast and crew reports and other interesting tidbits.

Steven R., friend and action coordinator, leads the assault.

2008-06-12T22:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything on here. I have been hard at work on my first attempt at a feature film shooting the summer '08. It is an interesting little tale about a hitman fighting for salvation against a force greater than himself. I am also finishing post production on a short sci-fi flick.

For now, here is a picture of my little baby girl and my big brother. It is a QT grab from the rig I have been testing for my feature with my DP. Plenty more to come soon!

Remnants of the Lost

2008-01-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

'Remnants' premiered at the 6th Annual Oakland International Film Festival (OIFF) on Friday night, October 19th 2007. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the film...
Here is a small trailer for Remnants of the Lost :
*(caution the audio is slightly louder than it should be, turn your sound down just a smidge)

The festival (my hometown festival) was held at the amazing Grand Lake Theater by Lake Merritt in Oakland. * If you've been there, you know that it's a historic and beautiful theater and it is one of the few non-commercialized theaters left (not to mention that it is the theater I grew up in). If you haven't been there than you should go catch a movie there, it is worth it.

'Remnants of the Lost' is the story of a man struggling to find a reason to continue living after the loss of a loved one. The backdrop is an apocalyptic zombie world, but the movie is more in the style of classic 'Romero'. In brief: the movie is more of a character piece (showing physical, mental and emotional change) and it focuses on people reacting to extreme conditions.

The movie originated with a drawing done of the main character after an intense moment. I think I was able to capture in the characters eyes the exhaustion and pain, but there is a hidden optimism inside. The movie is 37 minutes long (which puts it in a weird position because it 's not quite short nor is it feature length). The original cut was 50 minutes but I spent a lot of time slowly cutting out this and that (from the comfort of my own editing dungeon). I think that no matter what, I wanted to make my movie and just MAKE IT. I didn't want to worry about any time issues if it would risk compromising the story. I was told by some people to make different versions of the film but ultimately I did this to prove to myself that I could tell an interesting story from start to finish.

The lead actor, Joseph Salazar, was great. I trusted him with the character, feeling very comfortable with him and his interpretation of the material. He has an ability to convey powerful things in the most subtle ways.
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In the supporting role was Adrian Fuentes (a talented young dude/practically my little brother). I wrote the role with him and his own personality in mind so what you see on screen is Adrian.
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Another supporting role was filled by Lisa Landi, a friend and zombie expert/fan. Her understanding of the material was essential. We grew up on the same zombie films and she knew from the start what I was going for and she really made it work.
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Steve Real, my uncle and long time actor, rounds up the main cast: He is charismatic and really gets into the character, which for me is always a fun thing.
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The zombies were various friends, volunteers and family members who were very patient and helpful (I appreciate their time and commitment).

Now it does have some cool FX and makeup (thanks to Phil for bringing them to life: checkout http://freakshopfx.com/) and there are moments of terror but these events are meant to serve the story, not the other way around.

I had an amazing crew that worked hard and believed in the project. The budget was very, very low: mainly food and FX. And we shot very fast: With one SD ENG camera we shot over two weekends (4 full Days) in Oct. of 2006, ending up with about 6 hours of usable footage. After that we still needed to nab some FX shots which we did randomly over the span of about 2 days. But that's the good thing about owning your own round-up of rag tag equipment: you can shoot pickups or small re-shoots when you have time. We had some solid gear and at any given time a crew of about 6 people. Everything else was generously borrowed or given to us (even locations). In short I was lucky to get it made but again, I stress that I was surrounded by good people.

Overall it was an incredible experience. I am truly grateful to everyone who encouraged and assisted with the life of this project. I am still slightly tweaking the film to this day: There was a particular scene that I wanted to get two different shots on and I finally got them.