Director's Production Journal

[holymexicobatman]

Hey everyone,

I just launched a new blog for a short film production I'm directing. We are in pre-production right now, slated to shoot over the weekend of March 29th. We'll be out in the woods with a volunteer crew/cast on a micro budget shooting with mostly in-house gear. Shooting on a RED One MX with Nikkor primes, mostly handheld! This is my first time directing a creative narrative so I'll be journaling everything that happens to further educate myself and everyone else that may be interested. I'm also really hoping for some feedback as well from readers! I'm not a true seasoned pro just yet, so I'm always open to anyone who wants to chime in and give some advice on anything they read in the blog.

Check out the blog here and don't forget to subscribe!
fightclubkc.wordpress.com

I'll be updating with video and photos every few days during pre-production and post production. We'll also be releasing behind the scenes footage once principle photography is wrapped as well.

Thanks so much!!

 

[jghenderson]

It's crazy that "microbudget" now means shooting on a Red One with a full grip truck. Bravo for having good connections, that's half the battle.

Also, i'm very curious as to who your intended audience is for this blog. I personally really appreciate your open candor about being terrified, about potentially know having a clue what you're doing, etc., because all filmmakers know that feeling, so I feel connected to your project. That being said, it could possibly come off as unprofessional to some, does that make sense? I was always told that the director needs to always be completely confident, so that the crew and talent believe in them, and that they know what they're doing. I wonder if it is perhaps dangerous to be so open in such a public way as to your fears. Most likely though I am over analyzing.

In any case, good luck with the project!

 

[holymexicobatman]

It's crazy that "microbudget" now means shooting on a Red One with a full grip truck. Bravo for having good connections, that's half the battle.

Also, i'm very curious as to who your intended audience is for this blog. I personally really appreciate your open candor about being terrified, about potentially know having a clue what you're doing, etc., because all filmmakers know that feeling, so I feel connected to your project. That being said, it could possibly come off as unprofessional to some, does that make sense? I was always told that the director needs to always be completely confident, so that the crew and talent believe in them, and that they know what they're doing. I wonder if it is perhaps dangerous to be so open in such a public way as to your fears. Most likely though I am over analyzing.

In any case, good luck with the project!

Well, this particular crew I'm working with already know me well and have done paying commercial jobs with me in the past. So, any emotions I have about the whole thing, they knew far before I posted them online. So hopefully this is therefore a unique situation.

And yes, it is a bit funny that I call it 'microbudget'. But of course, I do commercial video production for my full time job so we already have 90 percent of all necessary assets in-house. The use of the term "microbudget" only refers to the amount of money spent--like expendables and assets specific to this story: i.e. wardrobe, gaff tape, gels, catering, insurance, gas, etc.

Sort of like when a DIY project guy claims his project was super cheap because he found all the parts lying around the house. But of course, what some of us have lying around can often be far more useful than what others have on hand...