FEATURE: Stricken the Feature - A Matt Sconce Film

jeremytuttle said:
Just wanted to say that things are looking good guys. Keep on trucking.

I don't even know that is going on with the hanging rig but that looks pretty impressive:shocked:.
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Thanks for the encouragement. Everything with our production has been so fun and has turned out better than we had hoped. The steadycam shots, crane shots, vehicle rig shots, for me have been so much fun.

At 22ft up there will be a bulletproof triangulated support that will hang two wire/harnesses, one down to the lower platform and one down to the floor. Green screen will be on the front, on the left side, on the right side of the tower, on the ground and on the underside of a window that is yet to be constructed at the top of the rig. There will be an 8ft tall camera platform on the right and one on the top of the tower looking down. There will be a crane platform in front of the tower. Our mob of ShockLights (our Kino's) will be mounted on stands, towers, inside the 'room' at the top, and on the ground.

I am making two complete harness vests for the actresses that will hold them up with D rings on the shoulders.

Two other identical window setups are being simultaneously made inside a cathedral room in the house to allow the same shooting on a 2/3 scale and on a ground floor for acting, stunts and closeups. The outside rig will be for the side shots.

This will be a great series of shots.
 
Wow. I'm very impressed. Was the budget for this feature mentioned previously? How did you all go about raising the money for this? (If I may pry.)

Good job and good luck!
 
We cant talk feature budget here but we can talk in PMs. Needless to say we are once again making something that looks like several mil for nothing close to that.
 
Stretching the budget was made possible by three major reasons, the first is that I built a team of passionate people who would do it for the love and for credit. Our money could then go to the SAG actors and leads to compensate them for their time and gas

The next element is my Dad, Gary. He is a scientist inventor who can make any and all of our equipment from things around the house for very little money. He built our 20ft crane and each shock light, and now the 3 story hanging rig that will be the outside of the hospital.

Lastly, preparation was key. I had prepared this and organized it to the hilt. Things did change but that prepared schedule pretty much held up. I just had IMDBpro contact me and ask if they could put Stricken in their newsletter sent to distributors and agents, etc, so the word is getting out.

Through this I have realized Dreaming is not enough, you have to start acting on that dream and never stop. In the words of Rocky Balboa, Its not about how hard you hit….its about how hard you can GET hit and still stand up… That has been the Stricken Story for the last 2 years of preparing for this production cycle of 4 months.

-Matt
 
UPDATE: Many things happening on many different fronts

-First, I had my first single released on Itunes. My single "I Love You" was just released on Itunes. I wrote it for my wife for our Anniversary this year and released it recently. Search for Matt Sconce on Itunes and you will find it. Just a singer songwriter vibe but I like it and more importantly, she loved it.

-Secondly, my next Magic trick that deals with pyrokinesis is coming out August 15th! Coolio!

-Lastly on a Stricken front, the matte paintings I am getting back from Tim Nargi are great. It will really help my production value. if you have not seen his work, go to his site and check him out.
http://www.digitaltimmay.com/

More updates soon!
 
I just saw your teaser and it looks really good! Blessings on your continued success in making this film and I look forward to seeing the final product!
 
~jai~ said:
I just saw your teaser and it looks really good! Blessings on your continued success in making this film and I look forward to seeing the final product!
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Thanks! We are getting very excited to wrap production. it has been a LOOOONG journey but moving on to the post stage is quite rewarding. I am excited to start to put Stricken together. The tower is coming along great! It is almost done. All the credit goes to my dad who just an amazing mechanical engineer. :beer:-Matt
 
The special effects tower has its 24' tall screen wall. The screen wall is backset from the tower to allow lighting from both sides of the screen and to bounce any green away from the actors in front of it. All will be chromakey green. You should have seen me placing the top 8' particle board at the top of the screen wall balancing on the top of a ladder with no hands hanging on. Glad I have acrophilia, the love of heights.

I still have to weld together the dual bracket for hanging two actresses from above the tower room at the top. Also, there is minor panel work needed at the top too. The climbing gear, harnesses and hanging rig are purchased. Yay!
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A 24' rising platform is rented for the shoot. BTS will be great that night!

To do:
Paint the green on the tower.
Run test of lighting.
Set up and test the HyperCrane for its shot.
Build (cut and weld) the hanging bracket.
Run test of hanging rig.
Fabricate a dual mount to hold an HVX sideways and also hold a RED ONE on
the same tripod for dual shooting of effects.
Build another 2/3 tower inside the house.
Build a stunt window of the top of the tower in the house.
Drywall all interior construction.
Paint all chromakey green.

All in 2 weeks. Whoo hoo! :)
 
Dang it... Thunderstorms. :shocked: I was on the top when a 'zot' hit nearby... I bailed really fast! Boo. I'm losing a day I can't afford to lose outside, and I can't work inside until next week as my sweet wife is recouperating from surgery downstairs. Crumb. :(
 
Simon Höfer said:
You are simply amazing! Love seeing your stuff evolve! Looking forward to lots of BTS pictures :)
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Thanks so much. Lots of blood sweat and tears... With a lot of laughing too. The storm broke and I was able to get welding. I know this is not DIY but it is appropriate here for BTS.

The rig.
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You can see that the positions of the hanging wires will be adjustable. I used garage door braces, electrical conduit and fence posts.

Mounted on the top camera platform.
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The whole view:
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The view the actresses will have. David Fine will be peeking down here too.
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On to rigging and paint! :)
 
The rigging was interesting. I have to move the harnesses on the stunt people twice as the wires have to be against the green screen from both side and straight on shots. Here is the lower position.
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Here is the higher position...
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And... I am actually Spiderman... See?
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You can see the little 'pirate plank' on the left for setting up the shot. It retracts into the wall.

Rigging done... Paint next. I have 16 lights to light this whole rig, including 7 Shocklights (our Kino's).
 
That is amazing!


UPDATE: I have combined the last two weekends into 1 weekend. We will shoot 5 nights straight and finish everything and wrap actors the weekend of the 11th. -Matt
 
WOW.... that's all I can say is WOW!!!


(and you better have done something EXTRA special for your Dad on Father's day!)
 
ZazaCast said:
WOW.... that's all I can say is WOW!!!


(and you better have done something EXTRA special for your Dad on Father's day!)
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He was cleaning the hospital on Father's day... :( But when the paycheck comes in from this baby...it will be extra special! :beer: He is truly the best. He is Priceless.:dankk2:
 
Fenway park doesn't have a 'Green Monster' this cool! 24' tall special effects walls.
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One more coat of chromakey green and I am on to fabrication. I will finish a dual mount today for holding an HVX sideways or upright, and holding a RED ONE on top of that to get dual shooting with HVX and RED 4K at the same time for special effects goodness. 6 days left...

Tomorrow, I get to work all on the inside in the cool air building sets. :thumbsup:
 
Dang it. I'm an idiot and painted wood that is too bumpy. I thought that a distant shot with lots of light would make the cheapo paneling work, but it is still lumpy. I will have to cover it with drywall tomorrow. (*Sob*) :-(
 
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