Caldera

What part of your script is unproducable? Are you talking cost wise or FX wise? Like the banner.
 
Oh, locations, locations, locations. And extras. The effects and weapons and such are actually no problem at all. It's just the locations and all the extra costs that go with that. But I've faced off against worse before! I will persevere!
 
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Grrrr! Update from location #1 this morning: they want $5000, non-negotiable. Not happening, sorry. So, back to square one.
 
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Well, the crew and cast all have their passports ready. That's about all I can say at this point, except that this movie is going to cost me some coin for sure.
 
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Oh, right, cast!

Casting went extremely well and I have about half of my guys. Callbacks for the others by Thursday, and a full cast list (minus extras) by the end of the week.

Speaking of extras, these gentlemen here have agreed to help out:

Suicidal_sequoia1.jpg


We're still contemplating the liability issues on that one.
 
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Exciting news this morning... we are now fully cast! I hope to have some cast "posters" up next week (and maybe also a new poster/banner to replace these teaser ones).

Additionally, it turns out our location liaison is going to be in town on Wednesday, so we're going to have a meeting with him and make sure we're moving along in the right direction.

A couple of my friends who make incredibly good documentaries have agreed to come with on our shoot and shoot behind-the-scenes material, which I will later include on a DVD if there seems to be interest.

Script is now on the second draft, and pretty solid. One more revision ought to do it.

Next: costumes, props, visas, shot breakdowns, VFX breakdowns, and more! Time is starting to get really tight, but then again, that's when I'm at my best. I just hope the same is true for the rest of the crew!
 
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Been working on some basic props and dressing here, figured I might as well share a quick piece:

props_docs_01.jpg
 
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And here's another.

props_docs_02.jpg


All of this is a temporary distraction from the fact that we're having a location crisis at the moment, which threatens the entire movie. But we'll work it out. Did I mention I work best under pressure? Gotta love low-budget filmmaking.
 
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Thanks! The transcript is based on actual radio intercepts from the Secret Service and the USS Liberty. That's part of why I love this genre so much: every little thing unveals so much interesting research!

I like the graffiti thing in your banner. Very creepy.
 
dougspice said:
Thanks! The transcript is based on actual radio intercepts from the Secret Service and the USS Liberty. That's part of why I love this genre so much: every little thing unveals so much interesting research!

I like the graffiti thing in your banner. Very creepy.
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Wow! Thank you! I was afraid my graffiti looked to, uh, "me." You know what I mean? (It's only my handwriting, so it doesn't seem creepy at all.) I think attention to production design details are the one thing that can really make these little films shine. There's nothing worse than having all the elements in place, yet have a poorly crafted, amateurish prop featured prominently in a scene. Keep up the good work! Anxious to hear/see more about your "imported" props!
 
Well, I agree that I don't think it looks "real", if that's what you're saying. It's too saturated for spray-paint, for one thing. But I think the writing looks fine, and it's just creepy as hell. So... effective without being "real", I guess. But nothing wrong with that.

Update on the props: we actually spent about 15 minutes brainstorming ways to smuggle assault rifles into a foreign country (albeit, fake ones), just for the sake of doing it, before coming to the conclusion that there's almost no way to do it on short-notice that doesn't constitute a felony or international crime! Maybe for the feature version that would be worth it, but not for the short. So, Friday I return to ISS to consider their collection of rubber weapons, which apparently are the only kind legal to transport. And of course it still remains entirely possible that we'll end up shooting in the local area anyway. Answers tomorrow hopefully!

Made some updates to the first two posts... a couple additions and changes to the crew!
 
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Down to less than a week before the shoot, but I've almost never felt this good about a project. We did the location scout yesterday and I am so, so happy with everything we have so far. However, we're still missing 3 locations! The hunt continues!
 
dougspice said:
Update on the props: we actually spent about 15 minutes brainstorming ways to smuggle assault rifles into a foreign country (albeit, fake ones), just for the sake of doing it, before coming to the conclusion that there's almost no way to do it on short-notice that doesn't constitute a felony or international crime! Maybe for the feature version that would be worth it, but not for the short. So, Friday I return to ISS to consider their collection of rubber weapons, which apparently are the only kind legal to transport.
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Thanks for the spray paint comments! Really thrilled that you said they were "creepy!" Is ISS that huge prop house in the Valley? The one that makes the real good fake money and stuff?
 
Yep, that's the one. They also have lots and lots of taxidermied animal heads, and (more to the point) guns... lots of guns.
 
So! Here we are in the final week before shooting. Some developments:

1) one of our actors got our schedule mixed up and booked a network television gig for Monday, which there's no telling him to back out of.

2) however, we're still missing all of our interior locations for Monday, so we may not have anything to shoot with him anyway!

3) we did get all of our permitting documents and equipment inventory sent through to the consulate and film commission, after some hack-work translating them! So, in theory, we'll encounter no problems at the border. Now we just have to sort out some vans to transport us!

4) we've picked up a new 2nd AD who's agreed to help us out just 'cause, which is great because he's Mexican by birth, and should be a great asset.

I don't know if I've ever worked this hard to get a project done before. It's definitely pushing all of my skills (especially my Spanish!) to the limit. But when it comes off, I think it's going to be beautiful. And I'm sure I'll have a million stories, good and bad, to share about the experience.
 
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