Brickhouse
Well-known member
the movie looks great. really inspirational what you're doing.
FEATURE: DEUCE OF SPADES - How I made a period full feature film all by myself on ZERO budget
- Thread starter Deuceofspades
- Start date
Deuceofspades
Veteran
Now although i think you're doing a great job, you are not exactly doing this alone, even your website says you have 12 crew members. lol
Good job though, in fact amazing!
I don't have twelve crew members ! (I wish I did LOL). 70% of my shoots were done with a crew of ONE plus me. 20% were done with me alone and no crew at all. 10% were scenes that needed a lot of set-up - ex: night scenes, large scenes with 40 extras and 30 cars etc... and then I had about 3 to 6 crew volunteers helping out.
By any normal filming standard that is pretty much having NO CREW AT ALL lol.
Deuceofspades
Veteran
hey, thank you
UPDATES:
Downloading my crash sounds as we speak.... Very exciting!!! Now my crash scene is going to start to sound exciting!
I am lucky cause these are pro sounds coming from top pro friend of mine who mixes for all the big studios. I hope they sound KILLER.
Deuceofspades
Veteran
:thumbup:
Ok you guys check this out:
GUESS WHO I BUMPED INTO YESTERDAY by complete accident, at the NHRA museum (where I went for the banquet / screening of y teaser)
A limo pulls up and none other than BILLY GIBBONS of ZZ TOP comes out. I still had my film poster in my hand cause we had just unloaded promo suff and were heading up to the banquet.
So I (not being shy) walked straight up to him and told him about my hotrod film. BILLY is an avid car collector with exquisite taste in hotrods. He also owns a 32 roadster, very similar to mine. So my film perked his ear up.
Next thing I know he is wanting to take a photo of me and my poster for him.
????????????? SAY WHAT ??????????????????
Next thing I also know is that he is now posing with me and the poster and giving me his card with addresses in LA and Texas to send him a copy of the film when it is done...
THAT WAS SO WAY COOOOOOL... Oh yeah............. The weird thing is that I have been wanting to somehow get in touch with BILLY for 2 years now and not knowing how to go about it. It was PURE COINCIDENCE that he happened to drive to the NHRA museum that afternoon to see a new car the museum just purchased and that I happened to be there going to the SIDEWINDERS banquet...
PERFECT TIMING !!!!!!!!!!! A ONE IN 4 MILLION CHANCES.
Lady Luck smiles upon me again!
Last edited:
Deuceofspades
Veteran
heyguys, I need to take a "snapshot" of a website for my records:
http://www.wheelsmagazine.se/aktuelltnummer/article386844.ece
before they change the cover and it is gone forever... I can't do a "print screen" cause that photo is bigger than my screen... I guess I coudl do two screen print... Unless there is a better / easier way ... Can anyone help?
FAITH
http://www.wheelsmagazine.se/aktuelltnummer/article386844.ece
before they change the cover and it is gone forever... I can't do a "print screen" cause that photo is bigger than my screen... I guess I coudl do two screen print... Unless there is a better / easier way ... Can anyone help?
FAITH
Deuceofspades
Veteran
You are a DOLL )) :thumbup:
)) :thumbup:
Deuceofspades
Veteran
SCREENGRABS
This is a transitional scene which we shot over one day, but had to use several locations to simulate ONE location, because of the need for period correct settings.
You see them drive down a row of orange groves (that shot made the teaser). then Johnny stops and has a conversation with Bettie.
The drive down the orange groves was shot last, run and gun, we just took our chances, backed up the deuce between orange groves (a narrow aile, with deep lose dirt) and then filmed.
The temps were above 100F that day and the deuce was overheating due to a failing fan. Filming old cars is very challenging because they constantly break down. I thought I was going to pass out while filming this section, it was so darn hot and no shade all day... I had to lay down on the dirt at some point LOL... Dehydration was setting in big time and a sun stroke, too.
The reverse shots and close ups were filmed earlier that day, in two other locations. Had to maneuver the deuce between trees to sneak into a spot that had no modernism in the background to do reverse shots on Bettie. Considering how lose and deep the dirt was in all these groves, we were lucky the hotrod never got stuck. I was in charge of backing it up for each take because my lead actor (who did a great job at driving the deuce forward during the film), is not so good at backing up LOL. We have a funny blooper about this. It was very cute.
Here are a couple grabs from that day:
I was very lucky during the shoot because a gust of wind passed just at the most curcial point of the scene, a "foreboding" moment. And it really made it feel like this was important, a premonition, something to come.
Shadows on the actors faces were created artificially, we used branches and placed them above their faces, otherwise they would have been in full sun. The leaves created interesting shadows on Bettie's face (don't have grabs of that though...)
The scene ends in a phenomenal burn out and needless to say I was the one at the wheel. So I had to pass the camera to my only crew person there. He was lucky and nailed the shot in one take. Good, cause we were on a public road
, and I wasn't exactely "blending in" with a huge cloud of smoke coming out the back of my super loud hotrod LOLOL...
Oh yeah!
This is a transitional scene which we shot over one day, but had to use several locations to simulate ONE location, because of the need for period correct settings.
You see them drive down a row of orange groves (that shot made the teaser). then Johnny stops and has a conversation with Bettie.
The drive down the orange groves was shot last, run and gun, we just took our chances, backed up the deuce between orange groves (a narrow aile, with deep lose dirt) and then filmed.
The temps were above 100F that day and the deuce was overheating due to a failing fan. Filming old cars is very challenging because they constantly break down. I thought I was going to pass out while filming this section, it was so darn hot and no shade all day... I had to lay down on the dirt at some point LOL... Dehydration was setting in big time and a sun stroke, too.
The reverse shots and close ups were filmed earlier that day, in two other locations. Had to maneuver the deuce between trees to sneak into a spot that had no modernism in the background to do reverse shots on Bettie. Considering how lose and deep the dirt was in all these groves, we were lucky the hotrod never got stuck. I was in charge of backing it up for each take because my lead actor (who did a great job at driving the deuce forward during the film), is not so good at backing up LOL. We have a funny blooper about this. It was very cute.
Here are a couple grabs from that day:
I was very lucky during the shoot because a gust of wind passed just at the most curcial point of the scene, a "foreboding" moment. And it really made it feel like this was important, a premonition, something to come.
Shadows on the actors faces were created artificially, we used branches and placed them above their faces, otherwise they would have been in full sun. The leaves created interesting shadows on Bettie's face (don't have grabs of that though...)
The scene ends in a phenomenal burn out and needless to say I was the one at the wheel. So I had to pass the camera to my only crew person there. He was lucky and nailed the shot in one take. Good, cause we were on a public road
, and I wasn't exactely "blending in" with a huge cloud of smoke coming out the back of my super loud hotrod LOLOL...Oh yeah!
grandprix63
New member
Faith!
If you give me an address I'll be more than happy to send you a copy of the latest issue of Wheels Magazine, with you on the cover.
Anders in Gusselby, Sweden
http://grandprix63.blogspot.com/2009/02/deuce-of-spades.html
If you give me an address I'll be more than happy to send you a copy of the latest issue of Wheels Magazine, with you on the cover.
Anders in Gusselby, Sweden
http://grandprix63.blogspot.com/2009/02/deuce-of-spades.html
Deuceofspades
Veteran
AWESOME NEWS
My production assistant and friend Jerry went to El Mirage yesterday and came back with a red 1929 roadster original 1950's hotrod.
And not just any 1929 roadster original 1950's hotrod:
THE red 1929 roadster original 1950's hotrod co-star car of my film.
The infamous FRESNO ROADSTER.
The car was loaned to me (remember) by David, a fellow hotrodder and good friend of mine and honestly, he didn't want to sell it. But we talked him into it and he knew it would have an excellent home with Jerry.
Jerry had been dreaming of a hotrod roadster all his life and fell deeply in love with the red roadster in my film. He is IMMENSELY excited to not only own his dream car but also to own the second most important car from DEUCE OF SPADES, the film he loves so.
He is on CLOUD NINE right now. And so am I. :thumbup:
Cause what this means is that all 4 star cars of the film (Johnny's deuce, Tommy's 35 Ford truck, Art's 50's Lincoln and Fresno's infamous red 29 roadster) are now owned by members of my team.
And what that really means is that all four cars will be able to appear side by side at upcoming car show / exhibits / film promotional outtings / premieres / screenings and etc... It will be a sight to remember!
I am so Psyched!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Below: the three main hotrods from my film, rollin down the dry lake, make for quite a sight.
"Fresno's" infamous 29 roadster is a real 50's hotrod from California and is very period correct.
My production assistant and friend Jerry went to El Mirage yesterday and came back with a red 1929 roadster original 1950's hotrod.
And not just any 1929 roadster original 1950's hotrod:
THE red 1929 roadster original 1950's hotrod co-star car of my film.
The infamous FRESNO ROADSTER.
The car was loaned to me (remember) by David, a fellow hotrodder and good friend of mine and honestly, he didn't want to sell it. But we talked him into it and he knew it would have an excellent home with Jerry.
Jerry had been dreaming of a hotrod roadster all his life and fell deeply in love with the red roadster in my film. He is IMMENSELY excited to not only own his dream car but also to own the second most important car from DEUCE OF SPADES, the film he loves so.
He is on CLOUD NINE right now. And so am I. :thumbup:
Cause what this means is that all 4 star cars of the film (Johnny's deuce, Tommy's 35 Ford truck, Art's 50's Lincoln and Fresno's infamous red 29 roadster) are now owned by members of my team.
And what that really means is that all four cars will be able to appear side by side at upcoming car show / exhibits / film promotional outtings / premieres / screenings and etc... It will be a sight to remember!
I am so Psyched!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Below: the three main hotrods from my film, rollin down the dry lake, make for quite a sight.
"Fresno's" infamous 29 roadster is a real 50's hotrod from California and is very period correct.
J. Erik Reese
Active member
WOW! My hats off to you! I think this is an amazing project already! I'm rather a big fan of this time period.
Keep it up!
Keep it up!
Deuceofspades
Veteran
Thank you
UPDATES:
Diving in head first into CGI.
CGI will be handled by several people, many of which from dvxuser.com
I am so grateful for your help you guys! This is so exciting!
Robbie up in Canada is taking a crack at adding the moon to the night race scene. :thumbup:
Frank, all the way in Germany, wants to take a crack at hotrod multiplication for my dry lake racing flashback. :thumbup:
Another huge German CGI company , who works with top Hollywood projects is wanting to take a crack at creating a 3D red roadster and crash it virtually. :thumbup: If they pull it off I'll be on CLOUD NINE. 60 photos of the red roadster, from every possible angles have already been dispatched to them so they can start working on the 3D model.
Marcel, here in LA, has offered to show me the basics in After Effects (which I now have) so I can tackle some of the real easy stuff, like removing an object from stationary shot. I am excited to learn new stuff and expend my abilites further.
Last, but not least, Chris, who turned out to live litterally 10 blocks or so away from me, LOL, has already started working on the challenging stuff for my night scene. Chris is SO nice and he ROCKS.
Additionally I have Scott down in OC, wanting to take a crack at revamping the film's official website with some cool flash (we need it!) and I have a very talented graphic artist all the way in New Zealand wanting to take a crack at finalizing the film's poster and other peripheral graphics...
WOW ! Looks like we now have a TEAM working on this !!!!!!!!!!! And to think that a mere year a and a half ago, I couldn't even get me an intern to help me carry C stands ...
We've come a long way baby!
:thumbsup:
GRAB:
Chris adds CGI blood to the torn hood of the deuce, on a panning moving shot.
UPDATES:
Diving in head first into CGI.
CGI will be handled by several people, many of which from dvxuser.com
I am so grateful for your help you guys! This is so exciting!
Robbie up in Canada is taking a crack at adding the moon to the night race scene. :thumbup:
Frank, all the way in Germany, wants to take a crack at hotrod multiplication for my dry lake racing flashback. :thumbup:
Another huge German CGI company , who works with top Hollywood projects is wanting to take a crack at creating a 3D red roadster and crash it virtually. :thumbup: If they pull it off I'll be on CLOUD NINE. 60 photos of the red roadster, from every possible angles have already been dispatched to them so they can start working on the 3D model.
Marcel, here in LA, has offered to show me the basics in After Effects (which I now have) so I can tackle some of the real easy stuff, like removing an object from stationary shot. I am excited to learn new stuff and expend my abilites further.
Last, but not least, Chris, who turned out to live litterally 10 blocks or so away from me, LOL, has already started working on the challenging stuff for my night scene. Chris is SO nice and he ROCKS.
Additionally I have Scott down in OC, wanting to take a crack at revamping the film's official website with some cool flash (we need it!) and I have a very talented graphic artist all the way in New Zealand wanting to take a crack at finalizing the film's poster and other peripheral graphics...
WOW ! Looks like we now have a TEAM working on this !!!!!!!!!!! And to think that a mere year a and a half ago, I couldn't even get me an intern to help me carry C stands ...
We've come a long way baby!
:thumbsup:
GRAB:
Chris adds CGI blood to the torn hood of the deuce, on a panning moving shot.
ESTEBEVERDE
Veteran
The CGI is going to be tricky.
It always is.
Be sure that it is as high quality as the rest of your work.
It should only add and not subtract! :beer:
It always is.
Be sure that it is as high quality as the rest of your work.
It should only add and not subtract! :beer:
Deuceofspades
Veteran
I agree, this is why we are all going to take our best crack at it and if it doesn't look convincing, then we will do without. It's all part of the learning process and experimentation. :thumbup: I got some good people on my team though, so i think at he very least some of the CGI will fly, and maybe even fly high.
ESTEBEVERDE
Veteran
Absolutely!
And you know we are all rooting for you 100%! :thumbsup:
And you know we are all rooting for you 100%! :thumbsup:
Absolutely fabulous, Faith! Love the story, the cinematography is great, and even the screen shots and still designs on your web site are very well done!
I just take some issues with you emphasizing many times that this is a "zero-budget" production. I assume that cam, mics, sticks, editing and fx software, costumes, computer, countless hours burning fuel in cars, etc etc etc, must have cost a few $k, no? These things must come from somewhere and nothing is free on this planet
rogar-Love(DBG):
In any case -- fantastic and all the best and good luck! Can't wait to see the final movie. Have you thought about distribution already?
Cheers!
I just take some issues with you emphasizing many times that this is a "zero-budget" production. I assume that cam, mics, sticks, editing and fx software, costumes, computer, countless hours burning fuel in cars, etc etc etc, must have cost a few $k, no? These things must come from somewhere and nothing is free on this planet
rogar-Love(DBG):In any case -- fantastic and all the best and good luck! Can't wait to see the final movie. Have you thought about distribution already?
Cheers!
Deuceofspades
Veteran
Absolutely fabulous, Faith! Love the story, the cinematography is great, and even the screen shots and still designs on your web site are very well done!
I just take some issues with you emphasizing many times that this is a "zero-budget" production. I assume that cam, mics, sticks, editing and fx software, costumes, computer, countless hours burning fuel in cars, etc etc etc, must have cost a few $k, no? These things must come from somewhere and nothing is free on this planet
In any case -- fantastic and all the best and good luck! Can't wait to see the final movie. Have you thought about distribution already?
Cheers!
LOL, Guys, guys, you KNOW there is NO SUCH THING as a ZERO budget film. I think you guys are taking the "Zero Budget" label too litterally. By Hollywood's standards my film doesn't qualify to be called a low budget. It is a NO budget.
Did it cost NOTHING? No, of course not. EVERYTHING costs SOMETHING.
But did I have a budget to film with when I started this film? NO
Didi I get financial investors to finance the production and post production expenses of this film? NO
I am doing most of everything myself and the everything else has been donated by awesome people who simply believed in this film enough to want to volunteer and contribute.
In short we are making an epic period film with PEANUTS. Making something out of nothing at all.
I guess you'd have to read the blog to really understand.
Deuceofspades
Veteran
IT'S OFFICIAL !! Chris dropped by tonight and handed me his first CGI shot. LOOKS AWESOME! It added SO MUCH to this dramatic scene and I am very excited.
So he left with 4 more shots to tackle hehehehehehe...
He kicks fannies big time!
THANK YOU CHRIS !!!!!!!! I Love you man!
visugeek
Well-known member
Faith,
You are far too kind, I'm glad to help out. It's a fantastic project, and working with you on it is a blast. Your enthusiasm and drive are very contagious! : )
Hopefully the other shots will turn out just as good as this first one did. I can't wait to see this film cut together and finished, it's going to rock!
Chris
You are far too kind, I'm glad to help out. It's a fantastic project, and working with you on it is a blast. Your enthusiasm and drive are very contagious! : )
Hopefully the other shots will turn out just as good as this first one did. I can't wait to see this film cut together and finished, it's going to rock!
Chris