FEATURE: Stricken the Feature - A Matt Sconce Film

BOOM! Looks like I am releasing my trick through Paper Crane as they will produce the quality of DVD I am looking for ASAP. Sweetness!
http://www.vimeo.com/7721338


They are getting back to me today, and then we are launching this baby. Things move quickly around me in entrepreneurial land, gotta stay on your toes!
http://www.papercranemagic.com/



Now back to your regularly scheduled program...STRICKEN! It is nice when going through troubles in life to have something like the above happens right at the scariest times. Here are some of the quotes I am living by as I struggle through this filmmaking journey. Fellow Filmmakers, take these to heart because they are SOO true.


“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”

Harriet Beecher Stowe



“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”

Calvin Coolidge



“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Winston Churchill



“The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.”

Unknown

Hang in there and I will too. Now Onward in this Stricken Journey of Awesome Epic Goodness!:2vrolijk_08:
 
I was cleaning my storage area last night and was amazed at the accumulation of stuff used to make STRICKEN. Here is a partial list:

Seven 750W focusable Fresnel lights with barn doors and gels - Tungsten
One 2k scoop ('The light from he_ _') - Tungsten
two 50W minispots - Tungsten
Soft boxes for all above
seven 6500k Shocklights (our kino flows) with 3'-10' stands - Fluorescents
Soft covers for all shocklights
grid covers for all shocklights
two 25W 6500K mini fluorescents
six mini lights 6500k LED
one 6500K 20 LED gooseneck light
seven 5'-10' adustable tripod light stands with 3'-6' adjustable booms
one 12' C stand
Aftershock Car Rig - full passenger, driver, forward, backwards shooting angles
Hyperchariot running dolly w/push handles, pull yoke and waist belt
three 11'-15' greenscreens with full tripods and cross bars
four rolling 5'-9' weighted base tripods for lights
falling rig to simulate falling on greenscreen
static flying rig (greenscreen)
tower mounting bracket for wire rig - (hangs two persons)
flying dolly and cables, electric winch, controller - can fly a person 30'
cables, locks, pulleys, carabiners, harnesses for all wire rigs
Hypercam RED one capable steadycamera unit and vest w/anglable low rig
high velocity electric wind fan
HD monitor screen w/ 50' cables to HVX
rolling monitor cart w/brakes
8'x8' reflective Da-Light retractable screen
NEC VT490 video projector w/cables
2000W DC-AC power inverter w/hi amp cables
800W DC-AC power inverter
8000W gasoline generator
2000W gasoline generator
portable electric air compressor (for cleaning Brevis/ camera lenses)
shotgun microphone with shock mount
blimp
extendable mike boom pole 5'-10'
angle mike boom pole 8'
150' professional audio cables
two sets of pro audio headphones
21'-11' HyperCrane camera crane w/lock down 90 degree head
300# of iron weights for crane
Aftershock Rain Rig w/stands
300' rain rig hose
various 'y's valves, nozzles, sprayers
small rain rig for car windows
Hypercrane tool kit
Hypercam tool kit
Complete regular tool kit
sandbags
counterweight hooks for light booms
light boom counterweights
12 6'x6' black sheets
air tools for construction
DeWalt battery electric drill
Milwaulkie sawsall
pedestal grinder
pedestal vise
metal cut off saw
Miller 140 MIG welder w/tank and all welding clothing/helmet
plasma cutter
pipe cutter
grip trailer
green screen paint
two city PD generic police uniforms
Sheriff generic police uniform with DI hat, jacket
police window lights for unmarked PD car
generic sheriffs stickers for vehicle doors
hospital gowns
lab coat
hang by the neck rig
hangman's noose
cop green gas guns
holsters, belts, handcuffs, radios, badges, batons, magazines, lights
make up box
1 gallon movie glass shards
large fog machine and fluid
three green screen 'mirrors'
rolling dolly 3'x2.5'
foam sound pads
stunt falling pads and mattresses
facial appliances, latex
gaffers tape, painters tape, plastic tape...
1.2 million feet of electric extension cords (exaggerating?)
3-1's, 5-1's, powerstrips, 'Y' plugs

and one Sterling Silver custom one-of-a-kind scary-looking Celtic Necklace...:shocked:
 
That stuff + GREAT ACTING + Award Winning Screenplay + dedicated crew + cool locations + AMAZING DIRECTOR + sweet score + many blessings = FEATURE LENGTH

STRICKEN :thumbsup: 'nuff said.


(And Ted... you are right on lots of the power...)
 
I'll *star* the things we built...

Gary Sconce said:
I was cleaning my storage area last night and was amazed at the accumulation of stuff used to make STRICKEN. Here is a partial list:

Seven 750W focusable Fresnel lights with barn doors and gels - Tungsten
One 2k scoop ('The light from he_ _') - Tungsten
two 50W minispots - Tungsten
Soft boxes for all above
*seven 6500k Shocklights (our kino flows) with 3'-10' stands - Fluorescents
Soft covers for all shocklights
grid covers for all shocklights
two 25W 6500K mini fluorescents
six mini lights 6500k LED
one 6500K 20 LED gooseneck light
*seven 5'-10' adustable tripod light stands with 3'-6' adjustable booms
one 12' C stand
*Aftershock Car Rig - full passenger, driver, forward, backwards shooting angles
*Hyperchariot running dolly w/push handles, pull yoke and waist belt
three 11'-15' greenscreens with full tripods and *cross bars
four rolling 5'-9' weighted base tripods for lights
*falling rig to simulate falling on greenscreen
*static flying rig (greenscreen)
*tower mounting bracket for wire rig - (hangs two persons)
*flying dolly and cables, electric winch, controller - can fly a person 30'
cables, locks, pulleys, carabiners, harnesses for all *wire rigs
*Hypercam RED one capable steadycamera unit and vest w/anglable low rig
high velocity electric wind fan
HD monitor screen w/ 50' cables to HVX
rolling monitor cart w/brakes
8'x8' reflective Da-Light retractable screen
NEC VT490 video projector w/cables
2000W DC-AC power inverter w/hi amp cables
800W DC-AC power inverter
8000W gasoline generator
2000W gasoline generator
portable electric air compressor (for cleaning Brevis/ camera lenses)
shotgun microphone with shock mount
blimp
extendable mike boom pole 5'-10'
angle mike boom pole 8'
150' professional audio cables
two sets of pro audio headphones
*21'-11' HyperCrane camera crane w/lock down 90 degree head
300# of iron weights for crane
*Aftershock Rain Rig w/stands
300' rain rig hose
various 'y's valves, nozzles, sprayers
*small rain rig for car windows
Hypercrane tool kit
Hypercam tool kit
Complete regular tool kit
sandbags
*counterweight hooks for light booms
light boom counterweights
12 6'x6' black sheets
air tools for construction
DeWalt battery electric drill
Milwaulkie sawsall
pedestal grinder
pedestal vise
metal cut off saw
Miller 140 MIG welder w/tank and all welding clothing/helmet
plasma cutter
pipe cutter
grip trailer
green screen paint
two city PD generic police uniforms
Sheriff generic police uniform with DI hat, jacket
police window lights for unmarked PD car
generic sheriffs stickers for vehicle doors
hospital gowns
lab coat
*hang by the neck rig
hangman's noose
cop green gas guns
holsters, belts, handcuffs, radios, badges, batons, magazines, lights
make up box
1 gallon movie glass shards
large fog machine and fluid
*three green screen 'mirrors'
rolling dolly 3'x2.5'
foam sound pads
stunt falling pads and mattresses
facial appliances, latex
gaffers tape, painters tape, plastic tape...
1.2 million feet of electric extension cords (exaggerating?)
3-1's, 5-1's, powerstrips, 'Y' plugs

and one *Sterling Silver custom one-of-a-kind scary-looking Celtic Necklace...:shocked:
Click to expand...

There! (Now building: 'Aftershock Bodycam' for the next project...)
 
A friend of mine wound up with a list similar to yours, sans the generators, props and wardrobe, and created a production van with racks to fit all the stuff. He rents it out to gaffers and makes a pretty penny on it. Awesome list.
 
Sprocketboy said:
A friend of mine wound up with a list similar to yours, sans the generators, props and wardrobe, and created a production van with racks to fit all the stuff. He rents it out to gaffers and makes a pretty penny on it. Awesome list.
Click to expand...

The cool thing... We still have it all! Since shooting is done, sound is out, score is being made and Matt is the guy on the VFX, I have been able to start mad-scientist tinkering again, which I love.

One funny point: I used a ton of building materials in the Police Station set, tore them apart, used them again in the VFX shoot days for large greenscreen walls, tore them apart after the shoot, and then built a garage for my mom and dad's house with it. I'm such a frugal Scot. (Aye, Laddie.) :cheesy:

Our next project will be a doozy; a feature length comedy. I will have the Aftershock Bodycam (our version of a body attached camera that moves with the actor) and will extend the Hypercrane another nine feet to 30' elevation by then. I will be building a modular track for the Hypercrane to glide upon so we can do rolling crane shots. Thanks for the response. :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
Ted Spencer said:
Dolly/Crane combo is A Beautiful Thing...
Click to expand...

I have always wanted one after I saw it used in 'The Village' as the girl moved across the field toward the woods. To see a view of an actor that has the aspect change while the actor is naturally on the move is like seeing from God's eyes. I want to have it capable of a 40' horizontal move to allow a slow 30' vertical crane move during a walk and a fast crane move for something on the run. Of course, I have to build it for almost nothing... :violin:Happy Thanksgiving! :Drogar-Happy(DBG):
 
Gary Sconce said:
One funny point: I used a ton of building materials in the Police Station set, tore them apart, used them again in the VFX shoot days for large greenscreen walls, tore them apart after the shoot, and then built a garage for my mom and dad's house with it. I'm such a frugal Scot. (Aye, Laddie.) :cheesy:
Click to expand...

Most filmmakers should follow your lead in recycling materials. Frugal or not you are doing the world some good. :thumbsup:
 
Gary Sconce said:
I have always wanted one after I saw it used in 'The Village' as the girl moved across the field toward the woods. To see a view of an actor that has the aspect change while the actor is naturally on the move is like seeing from God's eyes. I want to have it capable of a 40' horizontal move to allow a slow 30' vertical crane move during a walk and a fast crane move for something on the run. Of course, I have to build it for almost nothing... :violin:Happy Thanksgiving! :Drogar-Happy(DBG):
Click to expand...

And I have little doubt you will!

That'll make my 7' Advanta-jib on a Cartoni Focus and an Indie-Dolly look like a joke.

I still love it though...reaches floor to ceiling no sweat...pan & tilt head, ride-on dolly...
 
Ted Spencer said:
And I have little doubt you will!

That'll make my 7' Advanta-jib on a Cartoni Focus and an Indie-Dolly look like a joke.

I still love it though...reaches floor to ceiling no sweat...pan & tilt head, ride-on dolly...
Click to expand...

That's a nice jib, and pan and tilt head too?... Whooo hooo! Nice. Do any other techie grip types find themselves cheering cool crane and steady shots on movies you watch? I do that. :shocked:

Time to go eat Turkey... and then fall asleep! :beer:
 
Working hard on VFX. Removing wires from hanging scene using 4 CC Wire removal tools per wire in AE. I have to key frame each CC anchor point to follow the wire connecting point. (4 moves on each side of 1 wire per frame=8 moves every frame) 1 minute 45 second clip at 8 moves per frame per wire (4 wires)= 27,840 moves until I am finished removing the wires. Tedious but quite spiftabulous to see them dissapear, even over faces! -Matt
 
So, how long will this take during a human life cycle? A week? A month? A year? Are you saying this is one continuous shot?

Matt Sconce said:
Working hard on VFX. Removing wires from hanging scene using 4 CC Wire removal tools per wire in AE. I have to key frame each CC anchor point to follow the wire connecting point. (4 moves on each side of 1 wire per frame=8 moves every frame) 1 minute 45 second clip at 8 moves per frame per wire (4 wires)= 27,840 moves until I am finished removing the wires. Tedious but quite spiftabulous to see them dissapear, even over faces! -Matt
Click to expand...
 
Sprocketboy said:
So, how long will this take during a human life cycle? A week? A month? A year? Are you saying this is one continuous shot?
Click to expand...

I think this shot will take me 1-2 weeks to finish and then I will need to do it to....two More scenes! NOOOOO!!!!:furious3: but they are the biggest effect shots so it is a must...Troy, can you handle 4 k uncomp tiff sequences...want to tackle one of these scenes?
 
The first test of the Aftershock Body Cam was a success. Dad built it in half a day and we tested it out right before filming a pickup shot for Stricken.

Here it is:
 
Matt Sconce said:
Working hard on VFX. Removing wires from hanging scene using 4 CC Wire removal tools per wire in AE. I have to key frame each CC anchor point to follow the wire connecting point. (4 moves on each side of 1 wire per frame=8 moves every frame) 1 minute 45 second clip at 8 moves per frame per wire (4 wires)= 27,840 moves until I am finished removing the wires. Tedious but quite spiftabulous to see them dissapear, even over faces! -Matt
Click to expand...

Man... That is why the big boys have teams doing this. Still, you were working pretty fast at it. I was amazed at how smooth the wire removal tool does its job. The scenes you are working on are absolutely gigantic. I still am very proud to have been part of those nights of special effects. It just shows that even little guys who are slightly insane can put together some great stuff if they plan well, are patient in all things, and never, ever settle with anything less than what they want.

It was fun doing the pick up shot with you tonight at the storm drain. You have to put me into the credits as the operator of the "Tooth Light". Hehehehe! :D
 
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