SHORT: In Case Of Hope

N

Nytmaer

Member
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Logline: In the War Against Evil, HOPE is your only Weapon.

Synopsis:A lone survivor of a strike team continues his mission to recover a high value target. When the target is killed by foreign mercenaries, the lone soldier discovers the HVT was in possession of a powerful weapon straight out of greek mythology.

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Producer: Kenan Brack​
I am a first time film maker, long time screenwriter and video editor. I have assembled a fine crew, and currently looking for funds to cover transportation and feeding them. We are devoted to the DIY Guerilla Film Making experience but we know nothing can be done for free. Any help will be appreciated.I have managed to assemble a small crew and looking for more who share in my vision and help it become a reality.

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We seek to employ graduates from estemeed institutions such as Columbia College and American Academy of Art. Graduates who seek opportunities but often find themselves at an impasse. Every great goal is but a single step, and we need your help to make that next great leap.


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Our Crew
Screenwriter: Kenan Brack

Executive Producer: Nathyn Masters
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1785665/

Director Of Photography: Thomas Bachorz
http://vimeo.com/13402718

Assistant Director Of Photography
Michael Schacht
http://www.312elements.com

Script Supervisor
Terence Akins
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3839255/

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Our Cast (subject to change)

Tim Parrish as Nytmaer

Denise Rush As Mike One July

Roman Botashoff as Colonel Radzov

Team MiR as The BHMC
http://mirteam.wordpress.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRH8-icBFYM​

It is also my intention upon completion of the film that a portion of proceeds go to the Wounded Warrior Project website

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
“For support and empowerment of soldiers wounded in combat.”
You can also donate yourself. See the website for more details.



Why Should You Care
This is not just an action film but also a documentary on how the film was made on a low, almost nil budget, using resourcefulness, ingenuity, and good ol’ know how. I know most of you have heard it all before, but I believe that every good story deserves to be told. It doesn't matter how many film makers come up with new ways to make films on little to no budget. It's all about telling a great story and how you manage to pull it off. If you are here reading this then you are either interested in new stories apart from hollywood or interested in making new stories. Let's get on that train together.[/SIZE]
 
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Six Months Ago...Story

The project didn't start out the way it has turned out. It has changed a lot since I first conceptualized it. Say three times.

First iteration: This was a pitch video for an airsoft team that I was joining. It was meant to be a combination of Metal Gear Solid and Call Of Duty with a group of soldiers chasing after a nuclear "football". They proceeded to show why each member was the best of the best, while decimating their opponents. All to the tune of DMX's Who We Be. It was a great idea, but unfortunately the team never came together due to personal issues in with the team members. Still I had written a script and I was going to make this film some how.
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Second iteration: I was determined to make a film based on the original screenplay but I had to make some drastic changes. For once, a crew of five was reduced to an "Army Of One" dropped in behind enemy lines to meet up with his team mates who had disappeared off the grid. It was inspired by the Battlefield: Bad Company level Smash and Grab. Where Private Marlowe is seperated from the rest of B-Company and has to make his way across hostile territory. Almost as soon as I was finished with it, I decided I didn't like it as a story. For one it was basically a rip off of something else, and I strive to be original. However there were a lot of elements that I did like so I scrapped the bulk of it and reused the elements I added. Still I had to add in the missing parts as well as come up with something original.
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Third Iteration: I had some decent scenes that I wanted to film while I was down in Indiana, but I couldn't find a location. I didn't have internet access where I was staying, but I did have my trust Mistress (codename for my PC) and I couldn't really travel around to do location scouting. I knew that if this movie was going to get made, I'd have to take a different approach. I rewrote the story keeping the parts that I liked from the second iteration, while utilizing greek mythology. It is during the rewrite that I figured if I was going to make this film, I was going to do it right. I finished the story and felt satisfied with it, though I still make the occasional tweak and adjustment to it when I see fit.

Now I had the story, all that was left was to gather the other elements.
 
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Goals

Goals

My goals are simple.

Make a good film my first time around.
Work with advanced digital effects such as motion capture.
Do the film on the cheapest budget I can afford. (Which is nothing.)
Cast Chicagoland locales for the most important parts.
Distribute the film to festivals and other sources.
Donate any proceeds to Wounded Warriors.
 
Casting (How I found Russian Mercs)

Casting (How I found Russian Mercs)

Once I realized that I wasn't going to do this alone, I immediately went to my favorite airsoft forum (Illinoisairsoft.com) to find people who didn't mind working with me. So I posted in the discussion forum looking for an airsoft team who could portray a group of russian mercs. I did this while I was still in Indiana, knowing that I'd be able to make better progress. I wasn't looking for real Russians, but someone to play the parts and I would just have it redubbed in post.

No sooner had i posted the ad, did I receive information about a local airsoft team (chicagoland local) that were ex-military and spoke fluent Russian (because they are Russian). Their leader aka Devil Doc let me know he'd be more than happy to work with me.

I'd have my Russian mercs and with a team of about 8-10 that could pose a great final shoot out between the survivor and the mercs in his way.

devil-doc.jpg
Devil Doc - Commander

vojaka.jpg
Mortal – Gunner

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DZ - Gunner

mazilla.jpg
Mazilla - Gunner

denja.jpg
Denja -Gunner

metal.jpg
METAL - Gunner

andrjuha.jpg
Andrjuha - Gunner

appolo.jpg
Appolo - Communications​
 
Crewing Up: The hunt for a DP

Crewing Up: The hunt for a DP

I had to borrow a Hi8 camcorder from a good friend, that I would use to do most of the shooting. I had one of those crappy Easycap Usb video capture devices, and true enough it crapped out. This put me in a bind, because that left me without a camera to use. So...I decided to look for a director of photography, even though I didn't really have any idea what a DP did.

It didn't take long to discover it, all I had to do was read up on the subject and I knew exactly what I needed.

I posted an ad on Chicago's craiglist and within a few days I got a lot of hits. It still amazes me that people are still willing to work for free, if they find the project interesting.

The first one to capture my interest was a Michaehl Schacht, who does some great work. We talked and while he wasn't interested in the project, he gave me a lot of great advice. His advise allowed me to better focus my efforts, and in he process I met a new friend. When he asked me to help him with a project with no pay, I was more than happy to offer my assistance.

So I was able to sharpen my focus and tune up my ad.

It didn't take long to get more results, and from those results I met Thomas Bachorz. Thomas had little experience professionally, but he had talent and he was interested in working on the project. After a few conversations I knew I had found my DP.
 
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The better your ad is the more people will come. The more you describe what you're doing the more you'll attract the right people. Facebook has worked out well for me too. I found my "Siren" actress through FB. In fact I prefer to hire actors with FB accounts because I can message everyone and it stays pretty much in organized streams.

-Nate
 
Truth be told Nathyn..I don't even know how to find local talent on FB. I notice that you mnange to do it, but I don't have the first clue. Care to lend me some pointers
 
You have to have a group and simply contact the local talent through Craigs like you're doing. Make sure they sign up to the group and you can message and stay in touch with everyone that way. (Get emails and cell phones too). Actors know actors and word will spread about the project.

-Nate
 
Nathyn said:
You have to have a group and simply contact the local talent through Craigs like you're doing. Make sure they sign up to the group and you can message and stay in touch with everyone that way. (Get emails and cell phones too). Actors know actors and word will spread about the project.

-Nate
Click to expand...
Ok thanks Master Masters...lol. Every bit helps.
 
Unexpected Setbacks

Unexpected Setbacks

Last night my DP for the project, got in contact with me to let me know that due to unforseen circumstances, he won't be able to make it to the shoot on saturday. Since he is the one with the camera, that could possibly suspend the shoot for a while.

This is one of those cases where a setback could completely change things and not in a good direction. I've reposted my CL ad to find a replacement, but considering I have only a day to come up with a decision; it's not looking good.

Logic would dictate that one of my next major investments would be into a good or halfway decent camera...however considering my budget (next to zero) that really isn't an option.
 
Get an HG10 and two long life batteries. It's no where near 5D quality, but it's 1080p and will get the job done via color correction. If you have an adapter you can make it work because of the depth of field you can get. But always try to have another DP on standby and hope to not have to use them. My DP is so easy to work with, I'd hate to be without him.

-Nate
 
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