Almost EVERYTHING went wrong on my shoot Saturday!

[Richard J. Johnson]

Lossfest shoot, Where do I begin......

Everything was carefully planned out, Rough Story Boards were created as general ideas, Camera Moves and Blocking were set up. I know That many of things can and will go wrong on set. So I'm prepared for that.

What I was not prepared for was.......

Having to Replace 5 Actors at the last minute, 1 called 30 minutes before his call time and said he could not make it. (He said he was a go 8 hours before) The other 4, 24 hours before. I had to make some emergency phone calls and get a team in there, including my wife and a S.W.A.T. team member that has never even seen a boom mic let alone act below one. I would rather have bad actors than non-actors anyday, but he came thru in the clutch and tried his best.

Another actor I had never seen in person nor witnessed his acting abilities. He did pretty good fon 1 hour notice.

Everyone came late except for Paulie who showed up early. And I set up his entire by myself, thank god my AD showed to hold the Boom.

And since all of the actors were last minute they had to bring their kids with them including my wife. It was like a day care in there. My kids thought the dolly was some kind of amusement park ride.

Imagine my worry when I see my daughter chasing some boy around holding an Airsoft Mac-10. It wasnt charged or loaded but still.

We could only have the location for half of the time agreed. Which led to scores of work arounds and dirty shots.

Every time we plugged in a light the circuit breaker would trip. EVERY TIME. It is a brand new facility and we could not figure it out. So we had to use the flou's and only them.

All of this confusion caused me to miss so many things that I just should not have missed. Edge of the adapter, Bags in shots, etc. etc.

I'm still learning as a director and with time and practice I will get better and I need to get a few more on the team.

Overall, I'm satsified with how it came out considering the issues. It just goes to show you, no matter how many conformation e-mails you get back or phone calls you make or spread sheets you create, Things can still go straight down the Sh!tter.

I still love it though.

[alex whitmer]

Alright, our first 'in the trenches' story of the season!






a

[Richard J. Johnson]

lol. Definately.

[mattspat]

Lossfest shoot, Where do I begin......

I'm still learning as a director and with time and practice I will get better and I need to get a few more on the team.



Ahh sounds pretty hectic! I am also a very new director and over spring break am going to be directing my first film. As a student I only have one week to get the whole sucker done...so I will check back in a few weeks and I am near certain I will have some stories to share with you! Haha.

Good work on getting it done though. I'm looking forward to seeing this.

[Robbie Comeau]

Hey man,

I'm directing films and there's still so much to learn.

Sorry to hear what happened, I bet you hit the bottle hard later that night :).

I can't wait till I get the flaws and the raging anger that'll build up inside me...Gonna feel goooood.

Robbie

[Capt Quirk]

I hate days like that, but they are good practice for the future. Everyone has them at one time or another, and if you have never before experienced utter chaos, you won't likely be able to handle it when it raises it's ugly head. Consider it your Baptism by fire.

[ZazaCast]

...at least the SWAT team were IN your film and not jumping out of the bushes, guns drawn like they did on my TwilightFest shoot! Be thankful.

[Capt Quirk]

...at least the SWAT team were IN your film and not jumping out of the bushes, guns drawn like they did on my TwilightFest shoot! Be thankful.
Did somebody try a Guerilla shoot with firearms?

[ZazaCast]

Did somebody try a Guerilla shoot with firearms?

Start here... you'll get the idea: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1424856&postcount=89

[Capt Quirk]

Ok, so what is the rest of the story?

[ZazaCast]

Ok, so what is the rest of the story?

Next: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1424920&postcount=93

[Richard J. Johnson]

Next: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1424920&postcount=93

That is funny.

We ordered Pizza from Papa Johns and it was taking a long time. My wife gets a phone call from them saying the driver was scared to come in because he saw a S.W.A.T team with guns running inside. My wife told them we were shooting a movie and the driver came back.

That was about the only funny thing that happened all day.

[RodThompson]

That is funny.

We ordered Pizza from Papa Johns and it was taking a long time. My wife gets a phone call from them saying the driver was scared to come in because he saw a S.W.A.T team with guns running inside. My wife told them we were shooting a movie and the driver came back.

That was about the only funny thing that happened all day.


Now that is what we Navy folk call a "Sea Story!" A year from now, you'll be telling people about the shoot that went toi shit with a smile on your face.

[ZazaCast]

That's great...classic! Hope the pizza was worth it. You just can't make this stuff up! I'm really looking forward to your film. Nice BTS pictures too.

[alex whitmer]

You just can't make this stuff up!

It's just too funny - in hindsight of course!

That's it, I'm adding a chapter of these in my book. Send me your funnines, guys.


alexwhitmer@gmail.com


Maybe DVX needs a Dear Blabby column.

a



www.brooklyngarrison.wordpress.com

.

[Richard J. Johnson]

That's great...classic! Hope the pizza was worth it. You just can't make this stuff up! I'm really looking forward to your film. Nice BTS pictures too.

LOL! the pizza was worth it. :Drogar-Smoke(DBG):

[RodThompson]

I may sound like a total dumbass, but I'm a writer, not a director. What is a BTS?

[alex whitmer]

Behind The Scenes

Photos from the shooting day, as opposed to grabs, taken from the film.

a

[Capt Quirk]

And "grabs" have nothing to do with the actress, but are bits of the video used for example... :)

[Richard J. Johnson]

And "grabs" have nothing to do with the actress, but are bits of the video used for example... :)

LOL. I wouldn't mind Grabbin some BT'S

[preston]

wow, sounds like good times for sure... hope your next shoot is boring and uneventful!

[Richard J. Johnson]

wow, sounds like good times for sure... hope your next shoot is boring and uneventful!

Good point.........You cynical Bastard...:beer: (kidding)

[preston]

haha... actually, it sounds a lot like a shoot i was on two saturdays ago:

i had to get up a 4:45am, be at work at 5:30, pack the truck and be on the road by 6am. drive for 90 minutes to be on loaction by 7:30am.
long story short, that was the easiest part of the day. our audio guy was meeting us there (with all the sound gear), but he got lost and then into an accident, and wound up arriving at 8:50, 10 minutes before the event started. we didn't have time to get good audio set up, and the shoot pretty much went down the drain.

but at least i was getting paid, that made it a little easier.

seriously though - good luck on your next shoot; you deserve it!

[Richard J. Johnson]

Yep. That sounds like a very bad day and I'm sure we will have many more.:beer:

[Zim]

At least you were out shooting. I hope you were shooting as the day went on. If nothing else you will have some good behind the scene footage.

[Richard J. Johnson]

At least you were out shooting. I hope you were shooting as the day went on. If nothing else you will have some good behind the scene footage.

We did the film finished and the rough edit looks pretty good considering. The acting is going to get ripped to shreds but I'm still putting it out there. I would like to do 2 re-shoots but that may be impossible.

[RodThompson]

Oh...come on. Who really pays attention to acting in a movie??

[Richard J. Johnson]

:zombie_smiley:Apparently not me.

[Postmaster]

A bit off topic, but I want to share this one:

We do WWII reanactment/living history.
There was a big aniversery parade called "Tanks in Town" in Belgium - so we got into our Jeep for that 400 mls trip. All geared up with american WWII MP uniforms, colts, sniper rifle, Garand, and a browning machine gun mounted on the Jeep.

I have to say that in Germany, having a weapon is under extremly strict rules.
Even if you have a licence (and only very view can have one), it´s a major no-go to wear or show it in the public.

Our "weapons" where all props/plastic/decoration arms - so that law is not affecting us, and we did nothing illegal. Usualy a no brainer, we did that several times before.

After 200 mls the WWII Harley Davison gave up and we tryed to fix it on the road.
It was getting dark and it was starting to rain.

So we seeked shelter under the little roof in front of the big window of a Jaguar dealership in an industrial area. Verry lonley arround that time on a weekend.

Then a police car showed up. They been sitting in the car and watching us for 5 minutes.
Then they jumped out, loaded their guns, pointing at us and shouting. Hands up and the whole shabang. Wehen they saw the machine gun they go nuts.

No mater what we told them they took us into the police station where we spended the night.
It took me hours of talking, to convince them, that we are not Al Quaida, dressed in american WWII uniforms, but part of a big parade.

When the Sherriff came in in the morning, I finaly had a chance to show him the website of the parade, and he let us go.

http://www.tanksintown.be/principal_anglais.htm

Oh Boy, what a night.

Frank

[Zim]

They got out and loaded their guns?

[Postmaster]

Actualy they are loaded all the time, I ment racked the slide, chamberd a round, or whatever you call that (I´m not too deep into american gun speek) and we could also clearly hear the "cklick" of the safety lever when they sitched it to live.

Scared the S***ht out of me, caus they seem to be even more nervous than we. Both pretty young - straight from police shool.
A more experienced officer would have handled that different.

Frank

[Zim]

That is what I thought you probably meant. Yes you are lucky you didn't get shot.

[Capt Quirk]

Actualy they are loaded all the time, I ment racked the slide, chamberd a round, or whatever you call that (I´m not too deep into american gun speek) and we could also clearly hear the "cklick" of the safety lever when they sitched it to live.Chambered a round is the correct term. And old Harleys almost never break down... unless of course, it is getting dark and raining ;)

[Richard J. Johnson]

Movie came out a little better than I expected.

[Michelle J. LaBonney]

Holy Cow! After all of that, this is a "Do Not Miss" in my book. I would love to see some BTS if you have any!

[Rodney V. Smith]

Movie came out a little better than I expected.


Sweet! Did you make any of those edits? Are you going to get to return to the location for those pickup shots?

[Richard J. Johnson]

Sweet! Did you make any of those edits? Are you going to get to return to the location for those pickup shots?

I can't back in there. I am contemplating shooting another film for lossfest in addition to the Puppeteer. the entire thing is set in one location, involves four actors and I can shoot it in my house. I'm just trying to get the girls together.

[Rodney V. Smith]

dont forget the promotion aspect. Get some kind of promo package ready and launch it out to the web over the next few weeks. it's a good exercise for any film you're helming.

[Richard J. Johnson]

dont forget the promotion aspect. Get some kind of promo package ready and launch it out to the web over the next few weeks. it's a good exercise for any film you're helming.

What does a promo package for online promotion conisist of exactly? You know I have only been making movies for a year.:) I am still a rookie.

[LuckyStudio 13]

Color Grading and Color Corrections are coming up very nicely. Will post some sample before/after grabs soon.

[Richard J. Johnson]

Color Grading and Color Corrections are coming up very nicely. Will post some sample before/after grabs soon.

Dope. thanks!:beer:

[LuckyStudio 13]

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233769463.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233769650.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233769731.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233769770.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233769863.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233769900.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233769948.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233769977.jpg

[LuckyStudio 13]

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233770032.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233770057.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233770083.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/14472/1233770111.jpg

[Richard J. Johnson]

Dammit i'm at work on crappy monitor. I will check them out when I get home. THank you for the grabs!

[Sprocketboy]

Nice job on the color grading! I admire anyone who can do this well.