Feature Film

Based on the trailer it looks as though you shot this entirely in one location. Is that true? Also, how long was your shooting script?

These things interest me because in three weeks I am part of a project where we will attempt to shoot a feature in 5 days. In our project, most of it takes place in one cabin, but there are a handful (6-8) of scenes that take place at other locations. I was already thinking that it may be tough to pull off and now you've got me outright worried.
 
The shooting script was 94 pages (I think) ... the first edit was around 100 minutes and now it's 89 minutes. We did improvise a few extra scenes when some actors were available while other actors were still in makeup.

We shot at two locations ... and within the main location, we shot in four or five different rooms, but the KEY for us was pre-lighting. We had 1 pro 1k light and the rest we got from home depot.

Also, we had four key helpers. 1. A woman named Morgan who made all the props and sat all day organizing our schedules while making whatever 'things' we needed that day. Not only did she have an incredible organizational mind, but she was remarkably resourceful in terms of figuring out how to make things for no money. We owe the movie to her. 2. A person taking care of the cameras. We never had to worry about labeling tapes or putting tape in the cameras or cleaning the lens or slating ... he did all that. 3. A physical helper who set up lights and whatever was needed who was ready to go and wrangle the actors and even talk them down in the instance where there was a problem ... who would also read their lines with them and keep them on task. AND 4. A woman who dealt with all the food. We had snacks and soda and water always available ... and the meals were always there on time and were almost always really good. The fact that these sometimes stupid but essential things were taken care of made it so that my partner and I could focus on making the movie. Get those people and you'll be able to make your film in 5 days. It will be the hardest 5 days of your life ... but it's doable.

Last, let me say that if you rehearse, shooting will take less time ... and if you have storyboards or a shot list, it will take less time. Then you'll have a list and you'll be checking things off, and when they're all done, so are you. A script supervisor is also helpful ... and a plan of what exactly you need to accomplish per hour every day is helpful as well ... you'll probably fall behind ... but leave yourself with a few hours at the end of each day where you can make up what you lost.

GOOD LUCK!!!
 
THe tension and plot seems interesting but i don't think the photography is that good, might be the compression but I just think you got a lot of highlights and you could have crashed the blacks a bit more.

2 cents
G.
 
themusic said:
The shooting script was 94 pages (I think) ... the first edit was around 100 minutes and now it's 89 minutes. We did improvise a few extra scenes when some actors were available while other actors were still in makeup.

...

Last, let me say that if you rehearse, shooting will take less time ... and if you have storyboards or a shot list, it will take less time...
GOOD LUCK!!!
Click to expand...
Hey thanks for responding and for the good advice.

I feel a bit better about it now - our script is only 72 pages, 55 of which take place in or around the cabin. Also, we just got back from a 2-day rehearsal weekend at the cabin where we rolled camera on the actors as they really got the hang of these scences. It was great practice for the actors as well as for me (the DP). We were also able to set up a lighting scheme that will remain there, untouched, until the shoot.

Anyway, enough about me. Great accomplishment you've made. Keep up the good work, and keep us updated as things progress.

Eric
 
Also, just to make you feel even better ... we had 14 characters to cover. Sounds like you have less.

Can't wait to hear how it went!
 
so how the Maverick deal going music did you conatct them yet ????? im waiting for my two copies :)

peace n luv

Mark Dog
 
themusic: I see you're film is up on Netflix Instant and Queue. Watching it right now, and I like it so far. You should ask them to fix the aspect ratio for the encoding if you can :-).

Congrats on getting it distributed. I just remembered posting in this forum 2 years ago about it. When I saw it in new releases RSS.
 
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