Lisl and the Lorlok - a dark fairy tale

ignatius

Well-known member
Hi everyone,

I just wanted to post a bit about our feature that's currently in post-production. Titled "Lisl and the Lorlok", it's a family drama/suspense/mild horror film for kids, their grandparents and everyone in between.

http://www.lislandthelorlok.com

We shot with an HPX-500 + Canon KJ13x6B KRS, used primarily the Octava for sound (adding an AT4073a for outdoors and Sennheiser lavs here and there), and dollied around on PVC and Rowe-Cine wheels.

Brian Dillon and I spent a year on the screenplay, writing specifically for our location, and we produced the film under the SAG Ultra-Low Budget Agreement (one SAG actor, five non), for a current budget of $14K (more to be spent in post, I'm sure). We shot for a total of 17 days, three six-day weeks. Brian and I spent three months dressing, prepping and pre-lighting the location, and without that, we would not have hit our days - if there's one thing I'm most proud of, it's that we started and stayed on both schedule and budget.

While we wrapped principal photography August 21st, I wanted to get a little something out there for the cast and crew, so we have some footage couched in the form of a hasty teaser up on the official movie website. There is a 480p version as well as an iPod/Phone version and a link to the film's myspace page. Check it out if you have a chance; questions and comments are always welcome.

http://www.lislandthelorlok.com
 
Today, Brian Dillon and I completed the rough cut - ten days after we wrapped principle photography! 95 minutes, which will put us, with credits and trimming, right in the 85 - 90 minute sweet spot. We'll make it shorter if we can, but some of the length is built in just due to how many angles I missed.

So now it's all about the audio and the CG lorlok, for which I'll be hitting up the CG schools to find ambitious students. We intentionally kept the monster scenes extremely minimal, but we've still got some very significant animation sequences to complete.

Ah, the joys of post! Well, I'm only being half facetious, 'cause being in post on my own feature is a joy in and of itself.
 
I really enjoyed the beginning of the trailer, and the part with the hazy room!

Cool stuff. Post more when it comes!

BTS stuff is highly encouraged!
 
BTS Images - Gear

BTS Images - Gear

Our gear (or lack thereof):


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The "grip truck"


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Our two Arri kit lighting package (5 Fresnels + 3 open-face; 150w - 1000w)


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Our camera package (even came with an operator!)


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video village (hahaha)


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an extremely expensive, custom instrument (5500K)


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incredible cleverness set up by our grip and electric department


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and our amazing, fully customizable French flag - we'll market these for upwards of $1000 apiece (unless Chrosziel bites and buys our patent - then we'll be rich and then we can afford to buy a Chrosziel mattebox to match!)

All jokes aside, we did what we could with the bare minimum and most of the time it worked pretty well.
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BTS Images - Crew

BTS Images - Crew

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Jim Rizor
key grip / additional camera operator


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Steven Deeble
associate producer / best boy electric

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Stephen Spiker
the most thankless job on set - sound / boom operator

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Rain Alicia
makeup

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Derek Nickell
associate producer / camera operator

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Veronica Ng
costumes / slate

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Brian Dillon
producer / screenwriter / assistant director / gaffer

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IF (with my customary grip gloves)
producer / director / director of photography / editor

Michelle Fischer (associate producer / craft services) and Elissa Carette (executive producer / craft services) both declined to have their images posted online (actually, I didn't bother asking, I know they'll decline ...)

Top notch amateur crew with dedication to spare!
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The film looks intriguing. I love dark fairy tales. Just out of curiosity, who is doing your sound post?
 
BTS Images - Cast

BTS Images - Cast

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Bobbye Louise Ames (Grandma Tansy) and Katerina Fischer (Lisl - doing her best to maintain all of Rain's hard work on her hair)

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Ivan Borntrager (Harrison - yep, he always looks like this)

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Kimberly Parmon (Mischa)

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Allen Purchis (Granddad - who's massive voice is in the teaser)

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Richard Finerman (Dr. Samuels)


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BTS Images - Production

BTS Images - Production

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Spiker checks framing for the boom

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Derek waits for the director to make a decision

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Derek levels the cam on the penguin

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300w Fresnel up in the stove hood, camera on the moshi pillow

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director/DP adjusting the light from our main source (sun, skylight)

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Katerina makes faces at herself

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Our elaborate dolly setup

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Jim Rizor operating for the day

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We did use a slate, contrary to popular opinion (and we even changed the take numbers)
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BTS Images - Production II

BTS Images - Production II

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camera flies up for the rooftop wide

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Jim sets up our moonlight, a 1K open-face

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our extensive audio rigging

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waiting on the damn director ... again

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Spiker listening ...

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1.2 ND applied to the kitchen windows

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director and AD checking the frame

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Derek downloads P2 data via his laptop to a FW800 drive​
 
BTS Images - Production III

BTS Images - Production III

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Brian hastily puts on his screenwriter cap and goes over dialogue with the principles

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Video village was never more laid back

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these oranges were hot props that slowly deteriorated over the course of the shoot

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Absolute movie set - people standing around watching ...​
 
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BTS Images - Green Room/After Hours

BTS Images - Green Room/After Hours

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Our amazing home-cooked catering and craft services - this is why we went to work every day, baked salmon!!

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nope, THIS is why we went to work every day (end of Day 1)

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You can take the boy out of Oregon, but you sure as hell can't take Oregon outta the boy (Derek lets off some steam).

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my little Louisa-bear

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Yes, she is drinking and driving, but she's doing so responsibly ...

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the wheelchair was a hot prop ... sigh

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Mornings on set ... all the guys had to use the other, crappy bathroom

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still gotta wind down after late night shoots ...

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to reiterate, THIS is why we went to work every day (last day of shooting, August 21, 2008)






​
 
The film looks intriguing. I love dark fairy tales. Just out of curiosity, who is doing your sound post?

Right now, Spiker and I are the only guys onboard for post sound. That doesn't mean we're doing a pro mix, we're going to do the required foley work and use FCP and Soundtrack to sweeten our audio as best we can and that's about all we can do. Spiker knows Pro Tools, but I don't have the funds to purchase that software, so we're just kinda doing what we can to make it marketable. Meaning, if it gets picked up, I assume we'll have to go for a pro mix at that time.

Obviously, I see that you are a pro sound guy ...
 
BTS Images - Miscellaneous I

BTS Images - Miscellaneous I

'Cause life is the journey.
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hot prop

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Brian and Katerina

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testing the wheelchair gag

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Fish and Parmon

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there was none of that going on

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new friend

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enabler

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don't ask



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BTS Images - Miscellaneous II

BTS Images - Miscellaneous II

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waffling ... I mean wafting!

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It was not the cocaine, I swear! It was just ... stress. I swear.

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two stars play with the hot prop ... sigh

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something for everyone

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to make up for that last image ...



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BTS Images - Miscellaneous II

BTS Images - Miscellaneous II

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dressed for success - well, at least for foley work

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I wager ... 2am martini shot

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heh






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I miss the tractor......

Thanks for putting the stuff up man. Keep that waffling up :)
 
Right now, Spiker and I are the only guys onboard for post sound. That doesn't mean we're doing a pro mix, we're going to do the required foley work and use FCP and Soundtrack to sweeten our audio as best we can and that's about all we can do. Spiker knows Pro Tools, but I don't have the funds to purchase that software, so we're just kinda doing what we can to make it marketable. Meaning, if it gets picked up, I assume we'll have to go for a pro mix at that time.

Obviously, I see that you are a pro sound guy ...

There's nothing wrong with doing the sound yourself using Soundtrack Pro and Final Cut Pro. I say this a lot over in the Audio forum, but Pro Tools is just a tool and its use or non-use doesn't make your project sound better or worse. For your purposes, the Soundtrack/Final Cut combo is probably the best choice due to their integration.

Having said that, I'd love to help out if you do eventually decide that you'd like to do a "pro sound mix."
 
Great thread you've got going here. The teaser looks good, and thanks for all the BTS shots. Looks like it's coming along nicely.

Did you guys rent that house and live in it while shooting or something?
 
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