DAY 110: MAKING THE THRILLER/HORROR FILM: C R A * *

Day 110 - and all things are moving along fast in pre-production. As Craig flew up and over from Austin to LA packing along with him the camera we a considering using - we decided to tackle the questions we had about using this new Indie darling - the 5D. Here is the result of the test footage - shot at 2am in the morning - with minimal - and most of the time - no artificial light. 

Well - tons more pre-production info and more test footage/camera discussion coming very soon - and look out for the official thriller/horror movie site page  - the official name of the movie - kickstarter campaign - auditions - music video - viral campaign - set build - artwork - all coming soon my friends - and most of all - THANKS for the support ;-) I mean that. Now - back to making a kickass scary movie for ya'll to enjoy ;-) 

Oklahoma Ward

FILMMAKING: A Slick Way To Fund Your Project

In this post you will learn about a method of funding your feature film, short film, trailer, documentary, or whatever creative project you may have. You can gain funding without bending to an investor because this method is not about investors. You will have to do some work to garner pledges, but it's for something you love and are passionate about, so you are doing this already. It's called Kickstarter.com .

MOVIE FAN CHAT: Breaking Bad, The Tudors and more...

Wow!  Talk about a teaser ending last night on BB.  Jesse, Jesse, Jesse!!!  Didn't think you were ever going to pull that trigger.  And then I think, why am I egging on a unprovoked killing of a relatively innocent man.  I know, I know, he was making meth and surely knew the possible consequences but still, he wasn't threatening Jesse.  Do you think I will be waiting next season with bells on??  You betcha!  Questions abound.  Will chicken man take revenge on the scumbag attorney?  Will chicken man threaten Walt's family?  Guess the kitchen homey meals with chicken man ended last night, right?  I loved the old flashback of Walt and wife contemplating the purchase of a home and expecting first child.  Walt says, "Why can't we go overboard on price, things will only go up from here."  What innocent dreams and optimism we humans harbor.

MOVIE FAN CHAT: This and that...

Hello again.  Not much to report on.  Having seen much since the last time.  Watched SYTYCD, both the notifications and the first show.  I'm not too happy about 6 guys and only 5 girls.  What's the Deal?  I'm surprised none of the girls haven't complained about this.  Is there going to be two winners this year, one guy and one girl, or just one winner, which gives the guys a little edge here.  What's the deal, Nigel????  Also not too crazy about the experienced top former dancers dancing with the  new contestants.  Hopefully it will be better in future but watching the various dances, it was very hard for the viewer to pick out the current contestants from the others on the stage while dancing.  Added was the difficulty of seeing the dancers against the background lights which in effect back-lit the dancers but obliterated almost everything but their silhouettes.   Great for artistic effect but hard to do any judging.  But overall it is great to see the fabulous dancing and routines.

FILMMAKING: Musclin', My Short Film: PART 2

To update the progress on my film, the unexpected set-back of everyone's schedules has been a positive event in disguise. This has given me the time to acquired the Canon HV30 high def camera I mentioned in my last post, in new condition, for $400 off the regular retail price. I've also secured permission to shoot at the ice cream stand.

MOVIE FAN CHAT: Daybreakers, Justified, Reasonable Doubt and more...

Well, we watched Daybreakers the other night, not knowing what to expect, and it was interesting to say the least.  Sometimes the plot got a little confusing but overall it was different from most vampire movies.  There was some gory looking over the hill vampires, who turned into scary monsters even to the general population of vampires from lack of real blood.  But the movie didn't depend entirely upon scary distorted makeup to carry the movie.  Oddly just watching vampires in suits and ultra sleek settings, drinking their cocktails of blood, bloody coffee and so on was hardest of all to watch for me.  Same in District 9.  That cat food in the cans being gobbled up by the aliens and half alien was very hard to watch.  I had to tell myself its not real blood in Daybreakers and not real cat food in District 9.  Funny how small images can really get to you.

MOVIE FAN CHAT: Trailers - what you want is..!

We are bringing another question to you - the fans - because we are listening to what you think and want!

MOVIE FAN CHAT: Breaking Bad, Justified, Tudors, The Road...

Well I don't know what everybody else thought but I thought Breaking Bad was awesome!!!  Did Jesse show his courage and convictions by standing up to the chicken man and his Mafioso sidekick!  I was worried to death about this plan to use the streetwalker to poison the two street thugs, THEN when Jesse was picked up by the two bad guys and driven to remote location, I really thought his time was up!   Especially after the serious talk about "no half measures" to our hero.  I thought Jesse was a goner for sure.  Then when he is taken up for the meeting with all present and realizes he has been sold out by his "partner", did you feel the anger and disgust and the fight to control himself.  How did you like the handshakes forced upon him with the two thugs.  But if that wasn't shocking enough, then the killing of the 11 year old boy and young brother of Jesse's current girlfriend! 

MOVIE FAN CHAT: The Road and more...

Well, we watched the Road last night.  I had read the book as mentioned earlier and I have to say the book was very intense and frightening to me.  I did not have the same feeling during the movie.  There were good scenes and the backgrounds were good.  But I didn't like the overly sentimental music during the tender scenes.  In the book I was scared the entire time they spent in the "stocked cellar or bomb shelter".  It was a godsend but also a trap if caught there.  The boy's apparent non fear of the horror around them, such as sadistic rapists, murderers, and cannibals, make me a little angry.  I know we should look for goodness in the world but hey, consider the circumstances!!!

MOVIE FAN CHAT: 2012, S.Y.T.Y.C.D etc...

Well as you can see we didn't have much to watch last night so we rented 2012.  Figured it would just be good old fun to watch all the special effects.  Well, as it was just my husband and I, it worked.  I know it was corny, unrealistic, and just plain crazy but it was hypnotic watching all those building, rows of houses, and huge sinkholes going off on cue.  Then in the middle of all the chaos we received a call from a friend who said, Did you see the Special Bulletin just a few minutes ago?  We said no, what was it? 

MOVIE FAN CHAT: HARDCORE HORROR FAN QUESTION!

Years ago I watched as a horror film was finished and the heads of the studio made the director re-cut 15 minutes of the movie - claiming that if he could not explain within the additional footage a backstory on the alien - they did not want the movie because horror fans demand to always know the story behind/about the alien/monster or villain. The director fought to not include the footage - but finally gave in for the studio heads didn't budge on this.

DAY 092: MAKING THE HORROR FILM * * A * *

  DAY 092 of pre-production on the movie we are filming this summer:  where does all the time go  - well - it goes by with all the work. So far - the script - storyboard - and the research on camera/camera formats/camera codecs - and - distribution requirements/paths and strategy - have eaten up all the time. That is what it takes if an actual valid distribution path is desired for your movie. If a valid path to distribution - which involves any type of theatrical run - is not your goal - this article is not for you - continue making movies my friend and following your path for what you want for your movie ;-) But if a "valid limited and/or major theatrical" distribution path is something you want - here is what I can share -  when I sat down with my distribution person - they asked me one simple question - and it's one you should ask yourself BEFORE you make your movie - what do you want - my answer

MOVIE FAN CHAT: Crazy Heart, It's Complicated and more...

Hope all had a fabulous Memorial Day weekend!!  We did.  Didn't do much but enjoyed all the same.  We rented Crazy Heart and Its Complicated.  Enjoyed both.  Jeff Bridges did a brilliant job as the main character.  A very intimate portrayal of the life of a singer on the road, or at least a "has been" once popular but now broke singer who drinks too much, but still travels the circuit, only now it is carnivals, old bars, and fairs, etc.