"Corrado" - A production blog

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Ted:

Second Assistant Catering Stand-in? Why, that's the guy that eats the last piece of the vegetarian Pizza before I get to the table!

That's why the last two features I shot, there was just one name in the crew list: moi.

And the last feature film I shot was a 35mm production :-)
 
I would think to have a minimum of atleast 6 people on the crew.. especially for a 35mm film.

1 - camera
1- director
1 - boom opp
1 - sound
1- gaffer
1 - logger

How did you deal with audio and lighting and such?
 
The minimum crew just for a 35mm camera is an operator / DP, a 1st AC, and a second AC. Maybe even a loader.

Unless the shots are static and no one moves. Operating and pulling focus is nigh on impossible.
 
The Arri is designed the operator to pull focus. The camera was designed as a war correspondent camera. When you see me shoot an Arri, you'll see it used like that. I was trained by a Norwegian wartime cameraman :-)

I recorded the sound on my Canon Optura, with two mics and ch 1 and ch 2 separate. I directed the dialogue separately, like Fellini, I shot MOS with sound added later. I did extensive dubbing.

The audio was the second element of the movie. I shoot felliniesque style :-) Avant Garde, Cinema Verite.

I had practicals for lighting. 3200 K bulbs. I was a one-man movie machine.

My second movie Felliniesque Players is the best movie I've ever made. I'm dying to get it out. I'm waiting on a festival soon. I really hope I get it in.

I'd love to see the movie with an audience. It's a rock'n'roll music. Nobody dies in it. LOL

Actually I've shot a lot of martial arts movies and war movies too. So I've shot a lot of regular movies with a full crew. But I love to shoot by myself and direct a few actors and improvise. The last movie I threw the script away :-)
 
Vic, I hear ya, but you know as well as I do most 35mm rigs such as 435/535 pana millenium / gold are going to be multi person operations. It just has to be that way to maintain any kind of pace.
 
Well, yes, of course, pace means shooting an action movie with a lot of coverage and production value. I agree. But when I shoot an art film -- Felliniesque Players is a musical, as I said, and it's very experimental in nature. I shot when I had some money in my pockets. There was no schedule or budget. It's a different style of filmmaking. Obviously, no investors or distributors would consider such a movie; however, I knew that going in. I just love making film so much that I can no longer wait for financing and I don't care about making money. As long as I'm alive, I want to make film. This type of filmmaking makes me happier. I feel like a kid again :-) I finally learned how to work as an artist.

For me you're like Steve McQueen in Papillion. Remember the last scene when he comes and asks Dustin Hoffman to go with him, jump off the cliff and catch the wave that would take him out to sea and freedom? Dustin just nodded his approval and admiration as Steve jumped off the cliff with his coconut raft and made it out of the lagoon safely. Then Dustin went back to growing his vegetables. LOL I'm going to shoot these little films, Adam. This is all they let me do.
 
Adam,

Thanks for quite possibly the most motivational piece of writing I've ever read. I appreciate your willingness to be completely candid regarding the experience--warts and all. Much respect for your public religious beliefs and ethics, as well. After reading all 150 pages last night, I was finally able to get some sleep around 4 am! And I'm glad you chose to continue responding despite some local backlash on this forum.

I had a couple of questions I was hoping you might answer regarding your experience that I haven't seen touched upon in great detail during this thread:

1. Can you go into greater detail in regard to how the intense work schedule and evironment affected the relationship with your family? How did you "balance" the two (and I use that term loosely, because I'm pretty sure a balance is pretty well impossible). How did they cope to with what inevidably took you away for a great number of hours and days, and which sapped so much of your energy, attention, and mood? How did you handle any guilt issues? Do you think the exposure to fame, and the likelyhood for even greater, is an issue to be thoughtfully navigated by all members of your family?

2. Reading between the lines (don't think you ever came out and said this), but it seems to me that your story would not have (could not have) been possible had it occured outside of LA (with the possible exception of NYC, Chicago, or another major metropolitan city) due to necessity of multiple meetings with actors, distributors, agents and the exposure to lots of top-shelf crew in the near vicinity. In otherwords, would it be possible for DVXers in middle America to pull this off without relocating to a handful of major cities? If so, what recommendations would you make or how do you think you would have tailored your outlook and actions?

Thanks again, Adam. I have a feeling you've touched alot of people out there.
 
shutterspeedfilms said:
1. Can you go into greater detail in regard to how the intense work schedule and evironment affected the relationship with your family? How did you "balance" the two (and I use that term loosely, because I'm pretty sure a balance is pretty well impossible). How did they cope to with what inevidably took you away for a great number of hours and days, and which sapped so much of your energy, attention, and mood? How did you handle any guilt issues? Do you think the exposure to fame, and the likelyhood for even greater, is an issue to be thoughtfully navigated by all members of your family?
Click to expand...


Wow- good questions!

It was tough leaving my kids for the better part of three weeks. We had a nanny for a week and a half and then my mother in law came down for the duration. Between nanny fees and airfare for my mother in law there was considerable expense to watch my kids that was not accounted for in the film's budget - it was out of pocket.

I would get home so late that my kids were already asleep!

Of course Candace Elaine is my wife, and she shot for 11 out of 16 days so she had more time off to watch the kids. I barely saw her as well except for in the monitor!

You are right, balancing is not the word - there is no balance. As a father, when you are gone for three weeks, you are gone for three weeks and you are negatively impacting your family, period.

Having said that, I want to point out one thing. As a child, my father was away a lot since he owned restaurants. The hours he kept were very odd. I hardly saw him growing up, and this really bugged me. I vowed to not be this way with my family. In my job, I would never fly anywhere away from my kids. I would always make a point of eating dinner with the family every night. I usually cleared all weekends from my schedule so as to be home. My children have grown up with me at home. I've never ever left them once in a decade, not even for an overnight trip!

So shooting this movie they saw me less than normal but it was only briefly in the scope of their lives.

Candace and I have our plans aligned. We know what we are getting into ang have planned for our future.

On movie #2 for example, we are considering getting the kids a trailer and a teacher so that we are close to them. We may not be able to hang out all day with them, but at least we will see them throughout the day.

As for the limited amount of fame I a have achieved, it hasn't impacted my family at all with the exception of a spike in myspace friend requests (lol!) Dunno about real fame though. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.


shutterspeedfilms said:
2. Reading between the lines (don't think you ever came out and said this), but it seems to me that your story would not have (could not have) been possible had it occured outside of LA (with the possible exception of NYC, Chicago, or another major metropolitan city) due to necessity of multiple meetings with actors, distributors, agents and the exposure to lots of top-shelf crew in the near vicinity. In otherwords, would it be possible for DVXers in middle America to pull this off without relocating to a handful of major cities? If so, what recommendations would you make or how do you think you would have tailored your outlook and actions?
.
Click to expand...

Man, this is a tough one. Honestly, I don't know how films get made in other parts of the country away from the hubs you mentioned. I think realistically, you need to at least pull the whole deal together in LA then shoot wherever you want.

Corrado is an LA story. Los Angeles is one our cast members and our footage reveals much of LA and it's many recognizable landmarks. Sure, i could have shot it anywhere, I suppose. But I'm glad so much of LA is infused in the scenery and script. I'm tired of New York mob movies. That scene is tired.

If you live in middle America and try and do what I did, you'll face many challenges that will make an already hard thing that much harder. Throughout prepro, you need to meet actors, scout locations, deal with agents, media, etc.

Here is wisdom: Everything you need to make a film is in Los Angeles. Everything.

Probably NY too, but I don't care about NY - I've never been and I've got no plans to go.

If I lived in Iowa or whatever and wanted to shoot in Iowa using name talent in a decent sized production I'd devote two weeks of prepro in LA: Hire my actors, rent my equipment, make my deals, and then go home and shoot.

Thanks for the kind words!
 
I'm assuming if you put together the package in LA to shoot in "Iowa", you'd pretty well price yourself out of the low-budget indie range (with hotels, airfare, car rentals/mileage, per diem, etc.), no?

Thank you for the thoughtful responses to these personal questions. I'm excited to support your current and future projects.
 
At this stage in my career, I would not attempt a remote deal like that - I simply put it out there for those who may live somewhere other than LA or NY.

I'm not a fan of traveling to shoot unless the script demands it. For me filming somewhere to recoup soft money in the form of rebates is not interesting at all. My next film will be shot in and around LA as well as the film after that.
 
Yet another very generous and informative post, Adam. Thanks again.

taormina said:
Wow- good questions!

It was tough leaving my kids for the better part of three weeks. We had a nanny for a week and a half and then my mother in law came down for the duration. Between nanny fees and airfare for my mother in law there was considerable expense to watch my kids that was not accounted for in the film's budget - it was out of pocket.

I would get home so late that my kids were already asleep!

Of course Candace Elaine is my wife, and she shot for 11 out of 16 days so she had more time off to watch the kids. I barely saw her as well except for in the monitor!

You are right, balancing is not the word - there is no balance. As a father, when you are gone for three weeks, you are gone for three weeks and you are negatively impacting your family, period.

Having said that, I want to point out one thing. As a child, my father was away a lot since he owned restaurants. The hours he kept were very odd. I hardly saw him growing up, and this really bugged me. I vowed to not be this way with my family. In my job, I would never fly anywhere away from my kids. I would always make a point of eating dinner with the family every night. I usually cleared all weekends from my schedule so as to be home. My children have grown up with me at home. I've never ever left them once in a decade, not even for an overnight trip!

So shooting this movie they saw me less than normal but it was only briefly in the scope of their lives.

Candace and I have our plans aligned. We know what we are getting into ang have planned for our future.

On movie #2 for example, we are considering getting the kids a trailer and a teacher so that we are close to them. We may not be able to hang out all day with them, but at least we will see them throughout the day.

As for the limited amount of fame I a have achieved, it hasn't impacted my family at all with the exception of a spike in myspace friend requests (lol!) Dunno about real fame though. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.




Man, this is a tough one. Honestly, I don't know how films get made in other parts of the country away from the hubs you mentioned. I think realistically, you need to at least pull the whole deal together in LA then shoot wherever you want.

Corrado is an LA story. Los Angeles is one our cast members and our footage reveals much of LA and it's many recognizable landmarks. Sure, i could have shot it anywhere, I suppose. But I'm glad so much of LA is infused in the scenery and script. I'm tired of New York mob movies. That scene is tired.

If you live in middle America and try and do what I did, you'll face many challenges that will make an already hard thing that much harder. Throughout prepro, you need to meet actors, scout locations, deal with agents, media, etc.

Here is wisdom: Everything you need to make a film is in Los Angeles. Everything.

Probably NY too, but I don't care about NY - I've never been and I've got no plans to go.

If I lived in Iowa or whatever and wanted to shoot in Iowa using name talent in a decent sized production I'd devote two weeks of prepro in LA: Hire my actors, rent my equipment, make my deals, and then go home and shoot.

Thanks for the kind words!
Click to expand...
 
I have just STARTED pre-prod for a feature film in Richmond VA. It's not my script but i'm helping the guy out. don't know if I will be able to get the job as director as we had originally agreed. But let me tell you, it can be really hard to get everyone you need...

especially in a place that doesn't have a very large film industry (it's mediocre... mostly lo/no budget films)
 
taormina said:
Hey, my pleasure Ted!
Click to expand...

By the way, believe it or not, the quality of life in NYC is one of its best kept secrets. I know more people who've moved away and still find themselves looking back longingly at their years spent living here than I can count.

If (when?) you find yourself here please let us in the NYC DVXUser contingent know. We'll be happy to show you around our favorite place.
 
"...but I don't care about NY - I've never been and I've got no plans to go."


I feel the same about LA.
 
My comments re: New York really revolved around shooting there - I should have explained myself further.

I wouldn't mind a visit though.
 
taormina said:
If I lived in Iowa or whatever and wanted to shoot in Iowa using name talent in a decent sized production I'd devote two weeks of prepro in LA: Hire my actors, rent my equipment, make my deals, and then go home and shoot.
Click to expand...

If I may chime in with my current experience. I'm in Missouri and you simply cannot split yourself between coasts any more than I am. My company is currently working on getting a feature together much in the same way that Adam brought Corrado together.

The key for us, being geographically removed from filmmaking centers has been to have a business partner based in LA. Thus we've essentially split the production crews. There's a crew in LA and a crew in Missouri each handling production as needed. We intend to shoot the film in Missouri, but hire principle actors from LA. As a result our LA production team is handling funds, actors, and script development primarily, while the Missouri crew is handling locations, equipment, and crew. This was decided after careful study of budgt concerns. Would it have been cheaper to move the production crew to LA for the duration of the shoot? In our case, no.

Our crew is coming from local talent, a lot of whom have been groomed on other projects handled by my company, or by some of the other individuals partnering on this project.

The short answer is that it becomes a chess game of sorts. I've been planning the move into features for the better part of five years now and am finally to the point where I feel that we have a script ready, a crew ready, and now is the time to strike.

Having that LA connection though has been critical. I would not be where I am now if I didn't have that. Moving to LA is not an option at this point in my life, as much as I'd like to be there. I understand that saying "get connected with someone in LA" is easy and actually achieving it is hard, but not as hard as pulling up roots and moving everything west.

I hope that helps a little bit.

Sorry to take so much space in the Corrado thread, Adam.
 
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