Alien Uprising Video Review

Maduka found this awesome video review of Alien Uprising from Totally Twisted Flix.

One day people will say that the movies are from Pandora Machine. But for now I have to admit it's a pretty fair review. The picture quality of this review is a bit wonky which, ironically, is basically what they say about us. ;-)

Interiors to come

There's been entirely too little drinking on the set of the dragon movie. I have no idea what's up with that. Somebody should look into that problem during the post-mortem.
I am shooting a very low ratio on this picture. I'm being kinda a jerk about it -- not because I'm some sort of auteur "editing in camera" but simply because I want to keep our options in post to a minimum. The fewer the options, the faster the edit happens.
I'm very deliberately trying to keep the number of shots with dragons in them to a minimum. And when we do have a dragon I try to make sure it's in front of everything. In other words there's nothing between the camera and the dragon but some air. A dragon can occlude a person, but we don't want to have to deal with it the other way around.
We're finished shooting exteriors. At least scheduled exteriors. I think we need a shot of Amelia and Miranda approaching Gregor's hut. And we need at least one more shot of Amelia walking with her dragon and a dragon POV of her. And we may still yet need the dragon that kills me to swoop at me on a roof.

Map of the world being made by Hanna Garland.

We have about a quarter of the picture edited. This weekend we have to start readying material for upload to Nathan Vegdahl for him to start animating some dragons within.
And in the meantime Jeremy Crowson is building new sound effects for Angry Planet and I'm creating new mixes. We have a deadline of December 15th for the new movie.

I need an office manager

Here's the latest back-and-forth regarding the contract for a movie.

They: you sent me everything but the signature page.
We: I can't fathom where the signature page is. Why would I send everything but the signature page? I... I can't figure this out.
They: I know you got it notarized because you sent me a scan of the page.
We: Oh. The signature page is still in the scanner.

Derp.

2257

Today in the life of the independent film maker I'm looking up 2257 compliance statements. There are a couple interesting law blogs out there for pornography websites. There's the Handbook for 2257 compliance. There's also the 2257 Law Blog which addresses such things as breastfeeding videos.
In my particular case I have to place a 2257 compliance card at the end of Angry Planet.
Which considering the tameness of the nudity is... sheesh.

Here we go:

In compliance with United States Code, Title 18, Section 2257, all models, actors, actresses and other persons appearing in any visual depiction of content whether actual sexually explicit conduct, simulated sexual content or otherwise, displayed in the Picture were at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time such depictions were created, and all other visual depictions displayed in the Picture are exempt from the provision of 18 U.S.C. Section 2257 and 28 C.F.R. 75 because such visual depictions do not consist of depictions of conduct as specifically listed in 18 U.S.C Section 2256 (2) (A) through (D), but are merely depictions of nonsexually explicit nudity, or are depictions of simulated sexual conduct, or are otherwise exempt because the visual depictions were created prior to July 3, 1995. Records required to be maintained for such materials pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 2257 and 28 C.F.R. 75 are maintained by Licensor (“2257 Compliance”).

In the meantime, here is a baby bunny.

So I'm going to make up a cute lil' plate of that to tack onto the end of the movies.

Up on the Roof

Today is/was the sixth or seventh day of about 10 or so days of shooting. Seriously, I have no idea at this point.

Making art, I am.

Nat had a hard day on set. His first day shooting and we just kill him.

Does this make my nose look big? It does. I feel very Texan in this.

John Dillon looking very heroic in a socialist realism sorta way.

Julia Rae Maldonado's hair was nothing short of amazing in this shot. 

The Other Other Fifth Day (of Nine)

We shot our fifth day of the dragon picture today.

Harry, Julia Rae Maldonado, and Annalisa Loeffler tromping through the Hudson tubes.

Steve Deighan and Christopher Pope about to meet their end.

Julia and Annalisa light themselves in the tunnel.

Somebody derped and forgot the spiderbrace for handheld camera today. That somebody would be me. But this was a better day for tripod anyway. Right? Yes. Absolutely. Right. We shot the whole day on sticks.

Annalisa Loeffler.

We bought a bunch of LED bike lights to put inside the cheapo lanterns we got. It gives us a kind of different-world feel. Like they're using dragonstones to light their way.

Julia Rae Maldonado.

John Dillon lookin' sexy as he comes to rescue his sister.

Apparently this is what Amelia looks like while tied up in our world. Sort of on the supplicant side of things I should think.

Here's Julia's glamour shot.

Amelia tied up has to escape.

Joe and Amelia have their little "talk" in the movie.

2nd Unit

Tom Rowen is shooting some 2nd unit. Plus he's a writer on the show and played a hillbilly cannibal.
Here's some pictures he took "behind the scenes."

John Dillon and Christopher Pope at the end of a long and grueling day of shooting.

David Frey is behind me whilst the Queen of Mars booms Julia Rae Maldonado.

I don't. I mean I have no idea. What am I doing here?

Again, you got me. Notice the balanced craft services on the steps.

David Frey practiced really hard to get his curtsy right.

Sand people.

Christopher Pope eats a prop apple while John Dillon looks way too cool.

Groovy

Dig the latest episode from Ian Hubert:

Day, Uh, Something

I'm a little confused about what day of shooting this is. Because I labeled a day of shooting like four shots of an air intake building of the Holland Tunnel as "reel one" and so our actual principal photography began with "reel two" and really I should have labeled that first day as "B roll day 01" or something.

Leslie Ann Chastain getting some help from Tom Rowen putting mud on her face.

 We went to a lot of trouble to find a spot with no poison ivy to shoot this.

Leslie wears a Tyrannosaurus Mouse T-shirt.

I've shot 1000 stills with the Panasonic GH1 at this point. Or at least 1000 stills since the last time I reset the counter

No gang signs!

Tom Rowen gets ready to slate.

 It occurs to me that maybe this is the break of 2000 or 3000 stills. I don't actually know how to read the file numbers.

The non-creepy Tom Rowen menaces Annalisa Loeffler.

I'd like to point out that Tom actually wrote this scene with the hillbilly cannibals. And he wrote this part for himself. So you know, whatever he's trying to say here. Uh. Yeah.

You menace one lady, and this is what you get for your trouble.

Joe Chapman made us this great knife gag -- actually casting it from the Gerber hunting knife we're using. The hunting knife is comically difficult to remove from its scabbard.

It's not a good day to be a hillbilly cannibal in the Dismal Swamp. Tom Rowen (dead), Annalisa Loeffler (standing), Leslie Ann Chastain (dead), and Julia Rae Maldonado.

Coming upon a witch. That's actually Leslie Ann Chastain shemping for Rebecca Kush (who will be shot in closeup later.)

Today's CSI team will be played by Christopher "Cletus" Pope and John Dillon.

Producers demanded a photograph of the "Skunk Cabbage" sign.

 I think one of the trees with a bat box was knocked down by the hurricane. But mostly the swamp looks pretty good. Leaves are gone by now, of course.

I'm makin' art here. 

Z is for X-Ray

I think we're all more than happy that the Middlesex County Water Company has lifted its "boil water advisory." Because. Good grief. We're shooting in Middlesex County this coming weekend.

Yes, I am experimenting with mustaches.
Because.
Because I'm playing the role of Sebastian. And that's all there is to it. There will be no complaining.
I won't actually have the full walrus shown here though. It'll be more of a Tom Sellek.
It's going to be interesting to see if World War Z does well overseas.

Pictures from Libby Day 3 III

Filmmaking is a fake bloody business.

Joe Chapman seeks solace in the olde gohds.

The scrum on the Middlesex Greenway.

Victory is ours Comerades! That's Julia Maldonado, the Queen of Mars, Joe Chapman, Andrew Bellware, Joe's dad (!), Annalisa Loeffler, and... er... Louis.

Annalisa with Louis.

The movie doesn't actually look this happy.

Louis likes a good time.

Three shot.

She's not bird watching, she's gnat watching. 

One day we'll figure out what we're doing here.

Two silver-backed gorillas fight for dominance.

This is the first time I've seen this script.

This might be a good time to put a wireless mic on.

Pilot hero Andrew "AJ" Bellware readys the quadrocopter.

I see a Facebook picture here.

Checking playback from the dragoncam.

Julia Maldonado hunted by the dragon.