WHERE THE HEART LIES ... Johnson, Hyten, Golden & Bullis

[Ted Arabian]

Hey! That's the piano you WEREN'T dragging on the beach when I was chatting with you!!!

COOL!!!!

What an awesome sky for the shoot!

 

[siniarch]

That's not hard at all.
Not if you are using the Forearm Forklift.

Hope Bullis was using it.

 

[Mark Johnson]

Hey! That's the piano you WEREN'T dragging on the beach when I was chatting with you!!!

COOL!!!!

What an awesome sky for the shoot!

We had amazing skies for most of today's shooting. We looked at a few of the shots and Disjecta truly had his "A" game today. It was a rough shoot (as expected) with cold wind, rain and the ordeal of getting that piano out to the beach. However, everybody is stoked with the footage and Vienna was a real trooper -- a true joy to work with. We huddled in the truck during an interlude of rain showers but jumped back out when it began clearing so we could shoot until we literally ran out of light.

Afterwards we picked up groceries and Bullis cooked a spectacular dinner for everyone. We had a house full of people, including four young girls who talked us into playing Sardines (Bullis was the sardine). Afterwards, Vienna sat down at the piano and played two of her songs from the yet to be released album. It was one of those moments you remember as you think about special times in your life.

Now we're settled in and waiting for Norm to arrive. Tomorrow should be another very good day.

 

[Tom Marshall]

Hey Mark, did you ever make it out to see Cloverfield and There Will be Blood?

 

[Mark Johnson]

Hey Mark, did you ever make it out to see Cloverfield and There Will be Blood?

Tommy, I drug Tim to Cloverfield and we loved it. Haven't seen There WIll Be Blood. Have you? If not, how about figuring out where to see it this week?

 

[siniarch]

There Will Be Blood was AMAZing!!

 

[Mark Johnson]

We are on Whidbey Island in Washington shooting a music video for Vienna Teng. Here's some non-corrected raw frames from the HVX from yesterday:

 

[Ted Arabian]

Those Are Awesome!!!!!!!!!!

 

[siniarch]

Great Location. Man you guys lucked out with the clouds, they look fantastic.
Congrats.

 

[Kyle Stebbins]

Really beautiful shots there, guys. Vienna is going to look great in this video.

Very interesting to read about your quest for the prop book, Mark. I'm having no trouble visualizing you at a table with the two of those folks, schmoozing them away with big words and flattery. You're a dangerous man.

Can't wait to see more!

 

[Brandon Rice]

Wow, those shots look great!

 

[Mark Johnson]

We had a really fine day shooting on Whidbey Island today. Norm Sanders joined us last night and we were up early to begin getting shots with him while Vienna was having hair/makeup done. Norm is such a fabulous guy and a truly talented actor. The whole project hinges upon Norm's character and he was simply superb today.

 

[Mark Johnson]

Bullis discovers the zip line:

Mark and Tim laugh as Disjecta curses at his inability to get a smooth move out of the IndiSlider with his frozen fingers:

This is Huckleberry Hill -- where we're staying. An amazing place

Lost in thought, the director ponders his next move:

 

[Ted Arabian]

Cool! NORM!!! Norm looks PERFECT in that role!

Bullis discovers the zip line

Of course he does!!! I love it!


And this is a stunning photograph!!! This should be entered for jury. Wonderful shot!

Lost in thought, the director ponders his next move:

Can't wait to read through the past posts.... I am getting ready to assist and act for Jim and then off to my Superbowl Party (really didn't want to do one this year... too busy and really want to just WATCH this game! but I have been holding this party since 1996! People just show up! So I have to entertain though not one single invite was sent!!!)

Anyway, best to you guys. Stuff here looks fantastic!

-Ted

 

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Awesome guys. Great pics!
Looks pretty interesting.

Nice to see Norm in action again while I wait for Berlin. :beer:

Cheers,

Mike

 

[Maximus]

Great thread as always. Look forward to your film.

 

[Mark Johnson]

Some more BTS:

"Another Stella, Mr. Johnson?" (Bullis ran the kitchen at Huckleberry Hill like Patton in France)

In the epic struggle between man and piano ... there will always be a woman taking pictures:

Shooting in Washington in February guarantees occasional rain delays:

As much as I love to give him sh*t (hey, he started it first), this man can shoot like a mutha. Disjecta has truly become one of my favorite people on the planet.

We were deathly afraid of losing Norm into the pond early in the shoot as he had in opaque contact VFX lenses and, let's face it, he ain't the most graceful chap on the West Coast. Thus, Bullis pulled "Norm wrangling duty" and kept a firm grip on Norm during closeup shots as he dipped his hands into the water.

One last image of the shoot at Double Bluffs beach:

 

[Mark Harris]

Hey Mark, just out of curiosity, were there any permitting requirements on that beach, or could you guys just wing it there?

 

[Mark Johnson]

Hey Mark, just out of curiosity, were there any permitting requirements on that beach, or could you guys just wing it there?

As you might guess, given this was a Fat Monster production, there was lots of nervous looking over one's shoulders on this shoot. Our normal operating procedure is sort of a "dine-and-dash" philosophy (Um, officer, my permit's in the car. Just hold on and we'll all go get it...." In this case, though, having a piano on the beach made retreat problematical.

Fortunately, we had several factors working in our favor. First, the south end of Whidbey Island is fiercely independent and rebellious (artists and eco-activists in heavy supply). Hell, look at the incredible edifice we stayed in (three giant hexagons crazily put together like a poor man's Winchester Mystery House - Building Codes? We don't need no steenking building codes.) Second, the beach we were shooting on fronts a strip of private property owned by a guy we schmoozed and later learned had been Microsoft Employee #84. When we got his blessing to drag the piano across his property to the beach front we figured we were probably going to be ok without a permit.

Just this morning as I went to take Vienna to hair/makeup I was reminded that Tim and I agreed a month ago that the official Fat Monster slogan shall be: "We depend upon the kindness of strangers and the science of happy accidents."

 

[Mark Harris]

Gotcha, I was wondering how stringent the local governments were up there. Anymore if it's brooklyn, I just go out and do it. Even when I've had permits, no one has ever come up to me to ask about them. I am a little more guarded when I might get others in trouble, like a night club we shot in front of recently. But...

It's a gorgeous location. I used to live up there though and Whidbey is so beautiful.