"Corrado" - A production blog

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haha, yeah. it's not even a teaser really. just a little preview of footage I originally cut together for the cast and crew to see at the wrap party.
 
>>>Not really, I did have some time constraints and of course could have done more with more time, but I got more or less what I wanted.

Man congrats on that. Barely ever do i work on stuff that is as smooth. I mean we always get what we need, but almost always we end up missing the "sweet" shots that would bring the project to the next lever as usually there is no time. If you managed to get those then congrats once again.

>>>As to the lighting, I selected a sourcy low key look for the whole thing ahead of time. It was intentionally done that way, and wouldn't have changed if I had bigger lights or not.

Here i would be careful about making statements like that cause the "low key" look might be more appropriate for "Sex & the city" rather then a crime bad-ass drama.
 
i'm. (btw, you r the first one to point it out cause i mistakenly used that term on bunch of shoots going for the opposite effect)

still that ain't what's in the stills.
 
I love this thread...and I love that Low Key Lighting style..that's the exact type of lighting I want for my film...man that Cat looks demonic in that lighting..
 
Patryk_Rebisz said:
From the few stills of the film i saw it has a "nice" look of what we came to expect from well lit HVX with 35mm lenses but nothing beyond that -- no edge or look which in part is because you lacked some bigger lighting units to create the punch.
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Not a huge fan of the HVX but most movies have the look they have because they've been altered in post. I'm sure with good color correction and post the movie could look just as good as any.
filmman said:
Adam started out with essentially no money; but he had money and the potential to raise more. Adam's genius was that he began with his own camera and his own money and made a professional movie that independent distributors would be interested in. He got the talent for the least amount of money because he was going to make the movie with them or without them. The only essential person in making Corrado was and is Adam.
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Yep, I know this feeling. The more you're able to control, environment, lighting, sound, the better. The best scenes in "Wages of Sin" were shot in places we had total control for six or more hours at a time. Once we move on to being able to pay actors nicely, then you'll really see something. It won't be like they're doing you a favor - it will be a real job. They'll stay longer and complain less, especially here in Chicago.

10s said:
If DPs are fired/hired etc,.... that's really a pre-pro issue. You need to know your crew ahead of time and KNOW what they bring to the production. Finding out they don't cut it while shooting on the set in my book is just poor planning. That's a case of someone (the director & producer) being to busy to do their job properly or assuming they know what's going on without really knowing much. Experience has a way of teaching us lessons about being too busy or assuming things.
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Direct and DP you're own stuff, that's the only way to go. That way, whoever works the camera only needs to know how to operate it, how to move it and how to listen. They may be helpful with lighting and may add good suggestions but otherwise you call the shots.

-Nate
 
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Patryk_Rebisz said:
damn... just don't talk to me the terms, cause i'll get it all wrong ;)
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Okay, let me clear it up for you - whether you liked the stills or didn't like them, whether you felt the lighting was not punchy enough or you liked the camera, whether the terms are correct about the lighting or not....I got exactly what I wanted. Capisci?



 
Nathyn said:
Direct and DP you're own stuff, that's the only way to go. That way, whoever works the camera only needs to know how to operate it, how to move it and how to listen. They may be helpful with lighting and may add good suggestions but otherwise you call the shots.
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I wonder if this perspective isn't part of why your actors are complaining.
 
On being Director and DP, don't do it. I did this on two films and it's just a terrible way to work and frustrates the actors. Soderberg can get away with it but I doubt Clooney, Roberts and Del Torro need much babysitting. Elite actors will turn in a good performance in spite of bad direction but most actors aren't at that level, or even close.
 
10s said:
My comments about pre-pro planning is not a direct critique on Corrado but rather a general observation about the nature of getting the "bigger" look. The comment made by Patryk_Rebisz regearding using bigger lights, etc. helped bring this out of me.

Getting great cinematic shots takes real effort and the effort should happen in the planning stage not during production where the clock dictates behavior.

If DPs are fired/hired etc,.... that's really a pre-pro issue. You need to know your crew ahead of time and KNOW what they bring to the production. Finding out they don't cut it while shooting on the set in my book is just poor planning. That's a case of someone (the director & producer) being to busy to do their job properly or assuming they know what's going on without really knowing much. Experience has a way of teaching us lessons about being too busy or assuming things.

Cinematic dullness is a product of either bad taste or poor planning/rushed productions. Those wonderful breathtaking scenes that sweep you away are not off the cuff accidents, but rather focused efforts that respect the details of the nth degree.

I believe all of us want to see Corrado commercially succeed. So far it has been a success in terms of passion and drive. Like every product produced and actively being marketed, the customer/audience will decide the degree of its success.
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Very well said.

Ps. Adam, great job on the film and on this thread, i look forward to seeing the finished product buddy.
 
Mr. Cultraro.

The site is dynomite...Lookin real good.

I wanna order a couple of posters...Where & How to do?

Any chance of getting them signed by you?

I have a feeling these are going to become collectables in the not too distant future.


Dogday.
 
Omada said:
Elite actors will turn in a good performance in spite of bad direction
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This is more or less true, but there are some very notable exceptions. One I saw recently was "Vantage Point", starring Dennis Quaid and Sigourney Weaver among others. Quaid was good, but Weaver, a fine actress, gave a very flat perfromance as did a large number of other actors in many different scenes. I couldn't help thinking to myself "it's gotta be the director".

My point is that even a fine actor can be misdirected or even 'non-directed' into mediocrity. I've done a great deal of music recording sessions and have seen it happen the same way there as well.
 
DogDay said:
Mr. Cultraro.

The site is dynomite...Lookin real good.

I wanna order a couple of posters...Where & How to do?

Any chance of getting them signed by you?

I have a feeling these are going to become collectables in the not too distant future.


Dogday.
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I think you might be getting a little ahead of yourself, man. :huh:
 
Time will tell.

If there is one thing I know = Its what I know...And I KNOW this guy is going places.

Nothing wrong with demonstrating support by actually doing something concrete, such as buying a few posters, spreading the word and being thankful for the wealth of information imparted...For Free to total strangers!

There are people who like to see others fail and others who enjoy to see people succeed. I like to see people succeed especieally when they pour their hearts and souls into something, Its that simple...Laugh all you like.
However I really don`t think thats so funny.

To each his own.


Dogday.
 
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so Adam.......are you going to be doing a screening once everything is out of post? Or are you just gonna focus on getting it sold and move on to the next project?

how many cameras did you use for this shoot again? any urge to shoot on film for the next project?
 
Hey Dog,

Thanks for your support and believing in me. It's appreciated! As far as posters go, I was thinking of doing a run of them, because individually they are pretty expensive (like $85 each). If anyone knows a good place to get them done cheaply (10-15 each) in socal by all means let me know!!!!!

I've actually had requests from all over the world for the posters, not so much because of the film but because everyone and their dog in Europe has a buddy named Corrado!
 
FilmBoy77 said:
so Adam.......are you going to be doing a screening once everything is out of post? Or are you just gonna focus on getting it sold and move on to the next project?

how many cameras did you use for this shoot again? any urge to shoot on film for the next project?
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Yes, I will have one screening at a theater when the movie sells for all the cast and media, and some friends.

I used two cameras. Yes, big urge to go film on the next project....whether I'll have the budget to do so leaves to be seen.
 
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