"Dead Week" - A film by Kyle Stebbins (and company)

NateCaauwe said:
dead_week_comic1.jpg


I REALLY need to get back to work here if I'm to tackle stuff for Dead Week and Fat Monster tomorrow... :tongue:
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Ha! I like this...
 
Huh. I figured you wouldn't be able to post until you got back up and running, and thought this new squirrelly post was going to be the epic tale of getting it working again.

text message: 9:03:01 PM said:
We're back in business!! Yay!!
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:D
 
NateCaauwe said:
Huh. I figured you wouldn't be able to post until you got back up and running, and thought this new squirrelly post was going to be the epic tale of getting it working again.



:D
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I wish that I had taken photos of the incident and the procedure taken to get it back up and running. Unfortunately, I was too concerned with the matter at hand...

I was sitting at a local coffeehouse diving into some homework when I turned around to get a quick glance at someone walking in the door. I moved my arm and knocked over a full bottle of Izze Sparking Clementine juice ALL over the keyboard of my MacBook. The bottle was completely emptied and the table was spilling over with juice. I yelled "shi*!" and the received a couple verbal responses of "Oh crap, dude" and "Oh no". I ran to get some napkins from the counter and placed the MacBook on another table. I immediately attended to the MacBook and picked up all the liquid I could from the keyboard and internal speakers.

At this point my computer automatically shut down. The screen went black and the sleep light was killed. Not thinking, I immediately tried to turn it back on (bad idea as it will make it worse if you turn on a computer that has liquid damage... it will short circuit and fry -- I knew this) and it started to boot up, gave me the Apple OS sound and then *click* -- it was dead.

I dashed home and after an hour or so of manic fumbling I was able to take apart my entire MacBook and set it under a blow dryer. I pulled out my internal hard drive, the 2 RAM sticks, and the battery. I also lifted off the keyboard cover and blew a mixture of cool and warm air over the insides of the machine. Nothing appeared to have been terribly damaged. Certain parts just felt damp to the touch. After wiping it down, airing it out, and letting it sit outside in the fresh air (sometimes I think both man and machine can benefit from a little ozone) I brought it inside and put the pieces back together. I pushed the power button and it booted right up.

The only malady it suffers from at this point is slightly sticky keys.

I think I can live with that.
 
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ConspiracyPenguin said:
Whew! That was a close one, Kyle. I only drink water at my desk and oftentimes I will keep it on the floor to prevent incidents like this one.
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It sure was.

While I certainly try to take the best care of my electronics, I'm also a bit careless when it comes to eating and drinking in front of my computer. In this instance it was simply because I was at a coffee shop and had just sat down with my drink.

I had a couple little tiffs with the AirPort card but through rebooting in Safe mode I've remedied all of the problems. It looks like we are back in business.
 
Damn: my plan to foli you was foiled! At least you didn't see me shove the bottle closer...

Now on to Plan D: actually designing.
 
It is so great to work with really talented actors. Yesterday we got to work with Jeffrey Combs who played Dr. Herbert West in Re-Animator and also has done really great work in a bunch of Star Trek episodes.

JeffreyCombsWithMonsters.jpg


And we also were working with Steve Hyten whose character Kenny Bania in Seinfeld was one of my favorites.

SteveHytenWithMonsters.jpg


These guys were consummate professionals and a real joy on set.
 
Jeff Anderson said:
Wow they kind of look alike... Which project is this? Too many to keep straight...
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This was a pilot episode for Warner Bros. -- an internet series. We shot it in a bank right across from the studio lot. Finding a bank to shoot in was a *****. Almost all the available bank locations in the L.A. area are both expensive and gutted (former banks that you have to dress extensively to be able to shoot in). Seems that most banks don't want to let a film crew loose inside :)

Tim Hyten had found an amazing location that was a gothic building that could sell as a bank with the right production design and we were going to shoot there. However, the week before shooting the executives for the project were opening a bank account at the bank next to Warner Bros. and in casual conversation mentioned the project. The bank manager wanted to curry favor with the execs and said, "why don't you shoot here?" and offered his bank for free if we shot on a Sunday.

It was a little dicey as we got into it, because it seems the manager really didn't necessarily have the authority to make the decision and we had to kind of go guerilla style to an extent (we had to scrap the generator and grip truck to not tip off the presence of a film crew inside). We literally took over the whole bank and the manager was a bit nervous as dozens of people were wandering throughout the place. The production designer was really good and had previously cased the joint to measure every single bit of signage and collateral material in the place so he could replace all of it with custom printed signs, logos, brochures and even deposit slips/loan apps.

The shoot went off without a hitch -- though we kept expecting to throw a circuit and have the alarms come on at any moment. It was nice for Fat Monster to be able to bring in our crew as a paying gig for a change!

It does seem clear to me that this project is somewhat representative of a bigger trend that we've begun seeing indications of for some time. The studios have been hemorrhaging cash and the current economic mess is only going to accelerate the pain. Everybody is trying to figure out the formula to success with the net as an entertainment medium. Inevitably, this means short running times with small budgets. The small resolution final cuts also favor shooting HD with an adapter. In short, everything you guys are doing here is right in the sweet spot for this paradigm shift.

We've been in enough meetings now to recognize that there is a lot of talk going on in traditional studio offices looking for turnkey solutions to shoot and deliver for the web. Often there is discussion about "old school" no longer being valid in this medium. For instance, this project was originally intended to be directed by Carl Weathers, who is a member of the Directors Guild of America. However, in the end the DGA would not let him shoot it unless the studio gave a bunch of commitments on the back end should the project be picked up. He had to bow out because the studio wouldn't agree to tie up the project per their demands. The execs even acknowledged that there are a whole bunch of young shooters and directors coming up who know how to shoot for this new media and who could give a rat's behind for the DGA.

Thus, we have positioned Fat Monster as a production team that knows how to navigate these waters and can do so economically. Clearly, our reel has been extremely important and has been getting passed around. My recommendation to anyone who wishes to follow this path is to: 1) work on your reel and be hypercritical. You can't afford any mediocrity; 2) work out reliable and loyal connections to create a "virtual" production company. 3) make sure you understand the reality of the budget you can work under and be ready to give real numbers in the first meeting.
 
Wow. Great to hear about this project specifically Mark, but really love reading your insight into filmmaking as a whole in these odd times. Some really good **** up there in your post. Thanks for sharing Senor Johnson.
 
Banks are stingy. It doesn't really impress me that the bank manager jumped at the opportunity to have the film shot in his bank. Hell, he's probably been wanting that for years (what being across the street from WB and all). If it were just some small group of, I don't know, student filmmakers then the manager would be the one "not giving the rat's behind". - I guess I've just grown tired of the way banks work during my time employed in one. My logic is probably skewed as I know, just as this bank is trying to make a buck (with the WB account) then so is WB themselves. We all are. I just think people around here (on the boards) are more... I don't know... people-y.

Either way, congrats on the shoot. I'd love to hear more about it and maybe see some behind the scenes photography! Wonderful having you hijack again!
 
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