a ralph oshiro film--"LEVEL 4" spyfest 06.07

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DSR450 FRAME GRAB—SCREEN TEST FOOTAGE ONLY.
 
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Charli said:
Ralph, looks like it's really coming along.
Yes, thanks, Charli! It is--FINALLY! It was f*cking killing me--KILLING ME, waiting for weeks on end for Alejandra to come to L.A. And, stupid me, I'm like about to use this TOTALLY see-through thing I got at a medical supply place for her wardrobe, until someone says, "She's NEVER gonna wear THAT!" So, the night before the big day with Alejandra, we score the PERFECT hospital gear at UCLA-Harbor Medical Facility at 1:30AM, a mere 7.5 hours before the call time the next morning. But thank god, the first day's footage is in the can, and it's even more than I had hoped for. I thought this day would never come. Now, FINALLY, I can start shooting the rest of the short.
 
This project reminds me of that gunfight in the streets of downtown LA in 'HEAT'. Looks like things are coming along real well too! Best of luck on the rest of the shoot! Keep posting grabs!
 
Geoff_R said:
This project reminds me of that gunfight in the streets of downtown LA in 'HEAT'. Looks like things are coming along real well too! Best of luck on the rest of the shoot! Keep posting grabs!
Thanks, Geoff! Michael Mann's climactic firefight in "HEAT" is, in my opinion, the archetype for modern cinema urban-setting gunfights. If I could ever replicate 5% of what Michael Mann did in that scene, I would be ecstatic. Stylistically, both "HEAT" and "Collateral" are two of my most favorite films. I'm even shooting at some of the same locations.
 
Ralph Oshiro said:
Michael Mann's climactic firefight in "HEAT" is, in my opinion, the archetype for modern cinema urban-setting gunfights. If I could ever replicate 5% of what Michael Mann did in that scene, I would be ecstatic.
That was a bit presumptuous . . . make that 1/10th of 1%.
 
Ralph Oshiro said:
DIRECTOR'S NOTES FROM FIRST DAY'S PRODUCTION . . .

Well, my precious 19 minutes of raw footage has been ingested, and thankfully, everything's fine. Had an EXTREME panic attack when I thought I had rolled over some footage when I had to do some playback for the cops, but I didn't.

Hey, Ralph, I dig your guerrilla style of film making, it takes guts to shoot that way with guns in the scene. I guess in LA the police are on guard about filmmakers shooting without a permit. You mentioned they asked to see your footage, what were they concerned about?
 
bosindy said:
Hey, Ralph, I dig your guerrilla style of film making, it takes guts to shoot that way with guns in the scene. I guess in LA the police are on guard about filmmakers shooting without a permit. You mentioned they asked to see your footage, what were they concerned about?
Thanks, bosindy! No, we didn't have any weapons at location #2--that would've been suicide! (I only use prop weapons at locations where we are fairly isolated from public view.) But when they saw an "up-skirt" shot of my actress' underwear in the playback, they got upset, and started asking everyone for their IDs (no one had theirs except me).

Us: "Yeah, but her mom is right here!"
Them: "Well, how do we know she's her mom?"
Actress: "Well, we look alike!"
 
CAST:

Well, I just HAD to do it . . . I just cast two GUYS to play needed MALE roles. Script actually calls for four GUYS. But hopefully, I can double-role them instead (costume partially hides their faces). No pictures yet. But it's not like they're real hot or anything anyway (just kidding, guys!). Who cares? They're GUYS!
 
BACKGROUND PLATE FOR POSTER:

It's still a work in progress, but here's the "background plate" for the "LEVEL 4" poster. Will shoot a body double (for Alejandra) against a greenscreen for a sexy D70 composite shot that will go on top of the background image (this plate is actually only a composite of two DSR450 frame grabs). [The final composite is posted on page one of this thread.]

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"LEVEL 4" POSTER BACKGROUND PLATE

Okay, now I've added my name TWICE to the credits on the poster! And added some production logos to make it more "movie poster-ish." Actually, that's more of an "end title credit-ish" kinda thing, isn't it? Hee hee . . . I even credited my CCDs!!! And then, the final touch . . . the "ONLY IN THEATERS" tagline, modified for our contest, "ONLY ON DVXUSER.COM." Can't wait to shoot the body double image for the final composite!
 
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Ralph, I love the background plate you have for your poster! Nice color and lines. Love it.

Too bad about having to put guys in your film... I guess I'll still watch it! :)

Always exciting watching your work! Your threads are always a must visit! Great visuals.

Keep up the wonderful work!

-Ted
 
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