View Full Version : DRIVE IN - John LaBonney
John LaBonney
08-05-2009, 05:37 PM
http://johnlabonney.com/driveinpostersmall.jpg
Written and Directed by: John LaBonney
Producer: Michelle J. LaBonney
Director of Photography: Jeremiah Rounds
Post-Production Supervisor: Jeremiah Rounds
Concept by: George Villalba
We're off and running with our MonsterFest entry!
I tossed around several good concepts for this fest (one of them is proving very elusive to put together, but I'm still trying) but in the meantime we're moving forward with Drive-In. The second draft of the script is complete; any further changes will be minor.
Glad to have Jeremiah on-board with us again on this one. Hope Pauly, Kevin, and Jason might consider joining us. Also, any dvxuser members in the Las Vegas area are welcome.
Michelle is currently working the phones trying to get permission to shoot at the only drive-in movie theater still operating in Las Vegas. Hopefully she can pull it off. After all, they're not doing much there in the daytime. Failing that, we're out to an empty stretch of desert which we'll enhance with some set extensions (primarily a drive-in theater screen). I don't envy Jeremiah having to do that work in post if need be.
The principal cast will be made up of three actors, plus we need a bunch of people to play the, well, I don't want to give it away just yet, but they'll be filling in the monster element to the film. We need a whole mess of props and costumes and other stuff so we've got quite a bit of work to do.
It depends on how organized we can get ourselves, but I expect shooting to take about two days. It would be nice if we could squeeze it all into one day, but they're all daytime scenes.
Good luck to everyone in MonsterFest!
Michael Anthony Horrigan
08-05-2009, 05:49 PM
Good script, John. Best of luck with this one!
Can't wait to see it played out. You guys should premiere it at the drive-in! :)
MAH
Michelle J. LaBonney
08-05-2009, 05:49 PM
It's official! Oh, and it's gonna be fun!!
majikfraug
08-05-2009, 05:55 PM
Sweet! Can't wait. That's two entries I'll be working on -so far...
pauly_the_hitman
08-05-2009, 05:58 PM
I am in if ya want me...
Pauly
John LaBonney
08-05-2009, 06:02 PM
I am in if ya want me...
Pauly
Cool; will let you know the dates when we have them.
Nice! Welcome to the fest!
chaconkevin
08-05-2009, 08:20 PM
hey john, what days are you planning on shooting?
i need to know if they clash with my school schedule
but otherwise count me in
Monsters and drive-ins great idea!!!
Jason Sanders
08-05-2009, 09:24 PM
count me in
Ty Izquierdo
08-05-2009, 09:33 PM
I'm in!
J.R. Hudson
08-05-2009, 10:52 PM
Call and I just went to idea number two
Kholi
08-05-2009, 10:59 PM
Hudson is entering this fest?
CallaghanFilms
08-05-2009, 11:17 PM
Call and I just went to idea number two
Dude, bro...better start a thread before collective consciousness rears its ugly head again!
Mark Harris
08-05-2009, 11:17 PM
Who?
Brian Parker
08-06-2009, 12:08 AM
Looking forward to seeing what you guys cook up John!
Anthony Pierce
08-06-2009, 05:02 AM
Great poster. Looking forward to it.
Marlon Ladd
08-06-2009, 07:44 AM
Good to see you back in, John. Enjoyed your last two films.
Rodney V. Smith
08-06-2009, 08:14 AM
welcome back john.
pauly_the_hitman
08-06-2009, 11:55 AM
Loving the script...Looking forward to working with you again John.
Pauly
Brandon Rice
08-06-2009, 12:32 PM
Good luck John!
John LaBonney
08-06-2009, 01:59 PM
Thanks everyone!
At the request of the person in charge of the location, Michelle today sent an email explaining about the movie and what will be involved. We're expecting a final decision about that location shortly. Once we have shooting dates set up we'll be sure to let you all know.
pauly_the_hitman
08-07-2009, 12:27 PM
Hey John I am so looking forward to being a part of this let me know if you need a heavy set actor to play any of the parts...I just might know one.
Pauly
Edgen
08-07-2009, 01:16 PM
Coolio! Good luck guys!
/j
John LaBonney
08-11-2009, 04:09 PM
We're waiting for a final word from the drive-in location, but it looks as if that word is going to be "no." While the company that owns the drive-in is film production friendly and has allowed numerous movies to be filmed on their location, it's also a family-friendly company, and the violence in the movie is a sticking-point. I appreciate their time in looking at our project and respect their decision, and right now it looks as if we'll have to find an empty piece of desert and bring along a few pieces of set with us.
Evan S has given me a couple of potential desert spots that we might use, so if one of them looks good I've got a construction guy that can fabricate a piece of set that we'll need. The other parts will have to be computer-generated imagery. This will make careful shot planning even more important.
John LaBonney
08-11-2009, 04:17 PM
Paul, we definitely have a spot for you on the cast!
Richard J. Johnson
08-16-2009, 11:18 AM
Welcome back. Can't wait to see what you cook up.
pauly_the_hitman
08-17-2009, 10:49 AM
Any news on the location I need to make sure I get the time off and also so I can arrange my shooting schedule as well.
Pauly
MrFluffy
08-17-2009, 11:09 AM
Cool stuff.
TMerry
08-17-2009, 01:05 PM
We're waiting for a final word from the drive-in location, but it looks as if that word is going to be "no."
That sucks John, sorry to hear it. If you feel like coming out to California Bay Area
there is a vacant Drive In that is available to filmmakers.
Here's the details I know about.
Contact the San Mateo County Film Commission.
here is their site:
http://www.filmsanmateocounty.com/film/about.html
Here is the drive-in (look under the heading of Vacant Lots to see it
http://www.filmsanmateocounty.com/film/photo-library.html
Good luck!
P.S. if you end up using this location I expect free greasy cold popcorn and a location scout credit ;-)
pauly_the_hitman
08-20-2009, 11:03 PM
Hey John there is an abandoned drive in just about half way between us that we may be able to use. I will see if I can get the info to you ASAP.
John LaBonney
08-21-2009, 05:31 PM
Paul,
Please get those details to Michelle! Thanks!
pauly_the_hitman
08-21-2009, 11:34 PM
I will...
MOVIE MASTER
08-25-2009, 10:34 PM
Best of luck john always surprise me!
pauly_the_hitman
08-26-2009, 08:48 AM
Ok so I thought it was abandoned but it is actually operational. Let me know if you still need the info.
Pauly
majikfraug
08-26-2009, 01:33 PM
Are you talking about the one in Barstow?
ZazaCast
08-28-2009, 06:10 PM
John....any luck on the location?
Mark Johnson
08-28-2009, 07:51 PM
LaBonney, how's it hanging? I hear you're going balls-out on this one. Cool!
pauly_the_hitman
08-30-2009, 11:14 AM
Ok so I just found out that yes indeed the drive in is now closed and I in fact have a friend that is friends with the owner and I am trying to work it out. I will let you know this week. Heres to it working out...
Pauly
majikfraug
08-30-2009, 01:15 PM
Skyline Drive-In
31175 Hwy. 58
Barstow, CA 92311
(760) 256-3333 (showtimes)
I called and it's closed for renovations until mid-September.
majikfraug
08-30-2009, 01:22 PM
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/102/story/831093.html
Biz Buzz: Sunset Drive-In owner to reopen Barstow theater
He will lease or operate the facility himself; only 26 remain in the state today
The owner of San Luis Obispo’s Sunset Drive-In says he’ll reopen a similar theater in Barstow — one of the few remaining drive-ins in California — after its operator closed it, citing falling ticket sales.
Larry Rodkey — who owns the Skyline Drive-In in the high-desert city — was showing the property Wednesday to people interested in leasing it, the Daily Press in Victorville reported on Thursday.
Randy Shull leased the drive-in movie theater from Rodkey for four years but closed it on Aug. 16. Rodkey could reopen it by mid-September, the newspaper reported.
“I’m either going to release it or open it myself,” Rodkey told the Daily Press.
Shull, who also works at Napa Auto Parts, said he went to Barstow from San Luis Obispo to manage the drive-in at Rodkey’s request.
Business at Skyline Drive-In was poor during his first year as manager, Shull told the newspaper, but he said it took off during the second year. The second screen was installed in 2000, Shull said, doubling the theater’s business.
“We never looked back until 2008,” he said, adding that work will be done to the theater’s screens, and the drive-in will have a new paint job before it reopens. “It’s a good little drive-in.”
Sunset Drive-In opened in 1950, and it is now one of 26 drive-ins left in California — which had a peak of 223 in 1967 — according to aficionado Web site DriveInTheater.com.
— Antonio A. Prado
majikfraug
08-30-2009, 01:24 PM
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM5QVZ_Skyline_Drive_In_Barstow_CA
pauly_the_hitman
08-30-2009, 05:45 PM
Awesome info bro it just so happens some friends of ours are very good friends of the owner and i am working on getting the location as we speak...
John LaBonney
08-31-2009, 06:57 PM
Just getting back from Anaheim, thanks guys. Looking forward to hearing if we can get in there.
John
John LaBonney
08-31-2009, 07:00 PM
LaBonney, how's it hanging? I hear you're going balls-out on this one. Cool!
Well Mark thanks for checking in, I hope things are well. We're actually trying to keep it simple, but in never seems to go that way for some reason. I sometimes wish I could come up with a genius idea like Lost at Sea which just seemed so simple to film with just a single interior location and one camera setup. But regardless I'm sure I'll learn a lot as always.
John
Slimothy
08-31-2009, 07:22 PM
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM5QVZ_Skyline_Drive_In_Barstow_CA
Been there many times. Great place.
John LaBonney
08-31-2009, 07:32 PM
And by the way, would you CA guys please put out the wildfires already? The smoke is killing us here in Las Vegas (makes for nice diffused sunlight though).
John LaBonney
09-21-2009, 03:02 PM
I'm going to have to scrap this project. Time, money, and a bunch of other factors played a role in what has been a difficult summer for me. Thanks to everyone for their support, we'll see if we can come back in the next one. Best of luck to all the entrants!
John
tallrd
09-21-2009, 03:46 PM
bummer :(
TMerry
09-22-2009, 12:26 AM
Sorry to hear that John :-(
Was it the drive in location that broke the camels back for you?
-T
ZazaCast
09-22-2009, 06:30 AM
Sorry to hear this John... I LOVE the script! Hope you still make the film one day.
Rodney V. Smith
09-22-2009, 09:42 AM
Damn dude. Sorry to hear. Guess it's a total impossibilty for this fest...
majikfraug
09-22-2009, 03:08 PM
Makes me sad :(
Marlon Ladd
09-23-2009, 09:44 AM
I was lookin' forward to yours (a drive-inn would have been a great location), but I understand. Catch you on the next one.
John LaBonney
09-26-2009, 03:13 PM
Sorry to hear that John :-(
Was it the drive in location that broke the camels back for you?
-T
Sorry to hear this John... I LOVE the script! Hope you still make the film one day.
Location was certainly an issue, but probably not the straw that broke the camel's back. It could have been overcome, but I think the truth of it is that I haven't had a story that I was as enthusiastic about as Barn Dance and I don't want to do a film half-heartedly. We'll see about the next fest, but I'll shoot my next one when the story and time are right.