Bruce Sterling has a great post in Wired on “Atemporality for the Creative Artist”.It speaks accurately of the present, and offers a great prescriptive for what comes next. What’s “Atemporality”? Look at how problems are dealt with these days. I know I come fairly close to what Sterling lays out here, and it goes a long way to answering that first question:
‘Step one – write problem in a search engine, see if somebody else has solved it already.
Step two – write problem in my blog; study the commentory cross-linked to other guys.
Step three – write my problem in Twitter in a hundred and forty characters. See if I can get it that small. See if it gets retweeted.
Step four – open source the problem; supply some instructables to get me as far as I’ve been able to get, see if the community takes it any further.
Step five – start a Ning social network about my problem, name the network after my problem, see if anybody accumulates around my problem.
Step six – make a video of my problem. Youtube my video, see if it spreads virally, see if any media convergence accumulates around my problem.
Step seven – create a design fiction that pretends that my problem has already been solved. Create some gadget or application or product that has some relevance to my problem and see if anybody builds it.
Step eight – exacerbate or intensify my problem with a work of interventionist tactical media. And step nine – find some kind of pretty illustrations from the Flickr ‘Looking into the Past’ photo pool.’
Among many other treats, the piece also goes on to explain how today’s existence leads narrative to a non-linear, transmedia approach. Let’s face it, our brains have been rewired.
In trying to help find a solution to the indie film problems, I think it is crucial to deal with the real now; Sterling’s article describes it well for me. Many that I speak to, yearn to return things to the old; that’s nostolgia and melancholy. The genie is out of the bottle. Our world has changed.
Sterling takes it to where it really is: we have a new historical situation (“we have atemporal organized representations of verbal structures”). He also offers up how to approach it, and have fun too. He offers clear cut recommendations on approaching creative endeavors (“No longer allow yourself to be hypnotized by the sense of technical novelty. Just refuse to go there. Accept that it is already passe’, and create it from that point of view. Try to make it news that stays news.”). It’s a great rewarding read. And it’s short too. So take the 4 minutes. Don’t delay. Bring us (and yourself) into the now.
What was your filmmaking background before making Ocean of Pearls?
SARAB: I had a dream to make movies since I was 7 years old. I used to play around with a super 8mm camera in high school in Toronto. Then I had a chance to work as a production assistant in a big budget Indian film being shot in Toronto while I was a med student.
After moving to the USA, I started taking 1- to 2-week courses on different aspects of filmmaking in Hollywood, Toronto and Maine. I studied with talented and passionate artists working in this field. Meanwhile I did a short and documentary before embarking on making a feature.
None of this was easy but it was a lot of fun pursuing a dream. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
SARAB: Jim Burnstein (one of my mentors and screenwriting professors at University of Michigan) always said "Do what you know." I had told him I knew being a Sikh (my religion) and the confusion about identity that existed in me growing up and the medical profession and how it seemed like a business in America. So Ocean of Pearls became the story of a young Canadian Sikh transplant surgeon who battles the injustices of the American Health System and ultimately his own identity.
It was also a unique story as there had never been a Sikh character as a lead in a Hollywood film with a turban wearing Sikh director. We were breaking new ground.
What was the writing process like?
SARAB: I wrote an initial draft of the script, but Jim Burnstein didn't feel it could be shot in its initial form and script is the most important part of making a film. So he brought his former student V. Prasad , a talented writer now in LA to write the screenplay. We worked on this for 3 years. We took ideas from Jim and Jeff Dowd and a writer’s lab in Film Independent. Finally the script was ready to be shot.
SARAB: They are right when they say in books that the most important element is writing and the next is casting. However so many other things determine whether the movie will be good or great from music to editing to makeup and even casting for single lines.
What was the smarted decision you made during production? The worst decision?
SARAB: We were not budgeted to have the proper sound person but I had read that sound is very very important so I paid Jamie some money from my own side and that made a world of difference in post-production. ADR is possible but you lose the in the moment voices of actors and these cannot be properly duplicated. I was very thankful that I picked the right sound guy.
Unfortunately, some of the production people had not done a film to our preparation and level and the work showed. I would hire people in the future who are very experienced at what their job qualification is. Even though these were nice people, what I have to remember is that as a director you can only make 10 films in your life and each film should count for something, so hire the best you can afford.
And, finally, what did you learn from making the film that you can take to other projects?
SARAB: I think I can write a book on how to make a film: Tell a story that is either unique or if not tell in a unique way. Bring a music supervisor and editor early in the process. Hire the best and most experienced people that you can afford. You may not get a second shot if your product doesn't look good. To distributors it's not 10 years of work, it is simply ”toothpaste" and can they sell this toothpaste compared to others. Having a test audience in the rough cut stage helps to tell you the flaws. They will be brutally "honest" and if they say the film is good it means it is bad. Only very good and excellent means anything. Prepare a real budget of the film. It will definitely go up but at least keep it within 10-20 percent. Also put in 100,000 dollars if you want to have a theatrical distribution in 5 cities if you don't get a distributor. Enjoy the process, you are a filmmaker living your dream and creating art. You will touch a lot of people with your film and message. I have been humbled by the comments I receive and how it has affected their lives.
Thanks to everyone who gave us their feedback on the new look of the Under Jakob's Ladder website. We've implemented a few of the changes. Other changes are still on our list. (Minor changes...)
We're also reworking the design of the CubeCity website. We'll probably get that up and running sometime this week. Nothing too drastic. Basically, we're incorporating a new logo.
Some sad news... We received an email recently from Sandy Essington about our prison rat, Stockings:
"Thought I would let you know that Stockings the rat passed on a few weeks ago. Thanks for the great opportunity we had!"
So, this blog post is in memory of our smallest cast member... an interview with Stockings' owner and handler: Dana O'Connor. (Note: This Q&A was done in the Fall 2009.) Film: Under Jakob's Ladder Name: Dana O'Connor Role: Rat Handler
Q: What did you enjoy the most about working on this film? A: I enjoyed having my rat in a movie and being on the set. We both had a lot of fun! I enjoyed seeing how a movie was made. It was interesting how many shots it took to make just one scene in the movie.
Q: What was it like to be on set with the actors? A: It was amazing! I actually got to meet lots of the actors, and they all loved my rat! My favorite part was meeting Yasha [played by Quentin McCuiston], the character who worked with Stockings, my rat. Yasha was very nice and he loved Stockings just as much as me and my family do.
Q: Were you nervous at all? A: I was nervous that Stockings wouldn't participate, and I was also nervous that the people wouldn't like Stockings and would be scared of her. But it all worked out better than I ever expected!
Q: What was your job when Stockings was on camera? A: My job was to hold Stockings until her scene came up. One of my favorite jobs was when I had to lay on the floor during the scene and release her out of my hands when it was time for her to come into the scene.
Q: Do you think Stockings enjoyed the experience? A: Stockings must have enjoyed the experience so much because, during the movie, she always acted happy and never did anything wrong. She wanted to be a movie star and did a perfect job! Whenever I bring up "Under Jakob's Ladder", Stockings licks my fingers and acts so happy.
Q: Why do you think rats make good pets? A: I wanted a rat as a pet because rats are more happy and affectionate than mice, hamsters, or gerbils. I definitely feel rats make great pets! My rats have made the best pets yet! Rats are very intelligent and bond with people better than all other rodents.
And a few questions for Dana's mom, Sandy Essington...
Q: How did you hear about this film? A: From an ad on Craig's List.
Q: Did Stockings have to audition for the role? A: Yes. The director and production coordinator came to my house to meet Stockings. They particularly liked her friendly personality.
Q: Tell about being on the film set. A: This was our first time being on a film set and it was really exciting! It was myself and my two daughters Dana (11) and Kaitlyn (8). Stockings is Dana's special pet and the two are quite bonded. We were all very excited to have the opportunity for Stockings to be a star! The crew seemed a little ambivalent at first about working with a rat. But as soon as they met Stockings, everyone fell in love with her, especially the actor [Yasha] who played the character who would befriend the rat. All his time off set was spent playing with Stockings! One day, Stockings even crawled onto his shoulder and under his T-shirt with her face sticking out and fell asleep! The two of them got along great! During a scene when Stocking was to walk through a bunch a prisoners sleeping on the floor, she walked over and sniffed the noses of a few of the actors! She is quite a natural at acting!
Q: Do you think Dana had a good experience? A: This experience was an awesome experience for Dana. Dana loves animals and is a young animal activist. When her special pet got the chance to be in a movie, she was so excited! She actually got the chance to help in a few scenes, like when the rat was to walk out from behind a log, Dana lay on the floor on her stomach, behind the log, and released Stockings at the appropriate time.
Miao Wang On The Secrets of Her Kickstarter Success
We have a guest post today from Miao Wang, director of Beijing Taxi, set to premiere shortly in SXSW.
A number of people have asked me for my secrets in regards to Beijing Taxi’s successful recent Kickstarter campaign. Frankly, the campaign’s success far exceeded my expectations. As is often the case, I simply had no alternative. I had gotten the last of my rejection letters from the post production grants I applied for. I had just received my invitation to have BEIJING TAXI’s world premiere at SXSW. It gave me a much-needed boost of energy and a deadline to push for! I knew having SXSW’s world premiere would be a crucial element in the fundraising effort, yet it was a couple of weeks before I could publicly announce it. The pressure is on! It was either get into mounting debt for the post production expenses, or do my best to raise as much as I can! It seemed like a win-win situation. I had heard about Kickstarter a few month ago, but didn’t manage to find an invitation to post a project until the last minute. Luckily my friends at Argot Pictures came to the rescue and helped me secured an invitation. I was due to start color correction and sound mix in two weeks!
There were several limitations to the Kickstarter campaign from the very beginning. I knew I had to raise at least $10,000 in a very short period of time. I had to decide whether to go for a lower goal, like $5000, which is much more achievable, or just go for the full $10,000 bare minimum I truly needed to raise. $10,000 seemed like an impossible goal in 30 days, but I immediately decided on a back up plan. I will raise as much as I can through Kickstarter, and if in the last day we’re far from the goal, I have asked my family to essentially be on-call to pledge a “temporary loan” to make sure I don’t lose what has been raised up to that point. I also felt that, knowing the reality of the full amount I have to raise, people will feel more inclined to make a pledge amount that will make a difference.
Chinese new year always felt like an auspicious date to pick for a fundraiser, especially given it’s appropriateness for the film’s China theme. This year, Chinese new year was on February 14, 31 days away from the date I received the Kickstarter invitation. However, I had already started brainstorming creative ideas for pledge rewards a few days before that, so that I would be set to post and launch the project right away!
In terms of pledge rewards, I feel like it’s important to create some value in the rewards. I always believe that if you put your heart into creating something, people will sense that, and more willing to stand behind that. You’ve put all your heart into this film you’ve worked on for so long, your rewards should in some ways reflect the same heart and attention you’ve put into the film and not just something you slapped together. In two previous local NY based fundraiser parties, my team and I have obsessively handmade art objects like flipbooks (made from sequential frame grabs from the film) and an art book made with images from the film. We still had a bunch of the flipbooks and one art book left, so I naturally included them as part of the rewards. I diligently looked through some of the most successful projects on Kickstarter to get inspired for ideas as well as see how I can cater them to my project. I also wanted to think about cultural related reward incentives specific to Beijing. The dumpling class, a personal tour of Beijing with the director seemed like enticing rewards for those with deeper pockets.
To get the word out for the Kickstarter campaign, I set out on a major push in two phases. I signed up with a mailing list manager service (Mailchimp). I exported all my contacts from my many different stages of life into the mailing list manager. This allowed me to send out a beautifully designed graphics rich email campaign, and not just a text-based email. I sent out my first email blast as soon as I launched my Kickstarter campaign. In this first blast I was not yet allowed to publicize SXSW, so I just posted the headline as “accepted for premiere at a major film festival, details coming soon…” I also included some BEIJING TAXI updates from the last year, including grants received and labs attended. I knew SXSW was to make its press release on February 4, 10 days before my Kickstarter deadline, so I had to be ready to go on a massive e-blast campaign right away. As expected, the first phase brought in some pledges from closer friends, but it was far from enough and pledges started to trail off a week or so after the email blast. I couldn’t send out too many blasts because I wanted to send out the important announcement of SXSW on the 4th. In the meanwhile, I posted the Kickstarter widget on the home page of BEIJING TAXI’s website, tried to plaster my Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as reach out to my funders and supporters to help with the outreach. Many friends have kindly cross posted on their Facebook and other social networking sites. My diligent intern Aiyana Parker also helped me research film blogs and Asian related blogs. We made a list of those to reach out to once SXSW is announced. Phase two – SXSW announcement. As soon as SXSW news is released, I added the SXSW laurel on the home page of BEIJING TAXI’s website. I also sent out my second email blast with the headline “BEIJING TAXI : World Premiere at SXSW!!” in the subject line of the email. Sure enough, pledges starting flooding in. Aiyana emailed all the film blogs and Asian culture related blogs to help give a shout out to the Kickstarter campaign that was to end in 10 days. The sense of urgency prompted many to help.
I can’t say enough that I have been so moved by all the wonderful family, friends, clients, co-workers, colleagues from my entire life who have pledged their support to make this campaign a success. It would not have been possible without them. Aside from the loving support of those who know me, Kickstarter’s website has been in itself an incredible outlet to reach out to new supporters. The biggest pledge for our campaign actually came from someone who just stumbled upon the project while browsing Kickstarter. This backer sent me a message and expressed interest in making a significant pledge. We exchanged a few Skype video chats. I mailed him a preview screener of the DVD. He decided he liked the project and went ahead with a pledge at the $5000 level! Some other associate producer ($500) level pledges have also come from a group of volunteers for a non-profit organization called Wokai.org. A couple of people were interested in supporting the film. They approached me about possibly having a private screening event for a very small group of people interested in making an associate producer level pledge. It was less than 8 days before the end of the campaign. They helped throw together this small private home screening party where we met. Three people from the group made a pledge as a result.
To me, the success of this Kickstarter campaign is not only in having over-reached our pledge goal, which is on its own an incredible feat, but also in the new supporters and interests in the film that has been gathered along the way. More than just a fundraiser, the campaign has served as a fantastic promotional and outreach tool for the film.
Beijing native Miao Wang has a B.A. in economics from the University of Chicago and a M.F.A. in design/film from Parsons. Her award-winning documentary YELLOW OX MOUNTAIN has screened at over 20 venues and broadcast on WNET Thirteen. She apprenticed at Maysles Films. Miao has been awarded grants from Sundance, NYSCA and the Jerome Foundation. She is a fellow of Tribeca All Access, IFP Filmmakers Lab and the IFP Market.
DANNY DRAVEN: I’ve always had a passion for horror and sci-fi. When I moved to Los Angeles, I wanted to work for Roger Corman to “get my foot in the door” like so many of my film school influences like Francis Ford Coppola, Ron Howard, Jonathan Demme, James Cameron, Joe Dante, and Martin Scorsese did.
I had to start somewhere, so that led me to Full Moon Pictures, a company that was making a lot of movies at the time (and still are today). It was there I met indie producer/director J.R. Bookwalter (The Dead Next Door), and he helped get me started and gave me my first directing gig.
During this time, I also met Charles Band, David DeCoteau and Stuart Gordon, all of whom were great mentors for me.
I eventually started producing “made-to-order” films for Charles Band of Full Moon Pictures (fullmoondirect.com), for shoe-string budgets and all were shot on digital (this was before affordable 24p cameras). After several movies, I became very tired of making films in this “cookie cutter” environment, so I decided to lock myself away for a few years. I decided to only make movies I wrote. After a few years, I made Ghost Month. It was done my way, and completely independent.
What made you decide to write this book, The Filmmaker’s Book of the Dead: How to make Your Own heart-Racing Horror Movie?
DANNY DRAVEN: The best way to learn to make movies is to be on a set and make as many mistakes as you can so you learn not to repeat them again, and I’ve made plenty. I wrote this book to share my experiences and pitfalls with others so they can avoid them. This is the book I wish someone would have given me 10 years ago.
What's the secret to making a successful genre film?
DANNY DRAVEN: It all starts with a great story, told well. There really isn't a secret. However, having a great cast (a star helps!), a strong hook, short title, fantastic artwork and trailer, and a high-quality finished product certainly will get you a long way. It's also important to understand the genre you are working in and what is generally expected in such a film.
What's the most common mistake filmmakers make when working on a horror film?
DANNY DRAVEN: I think the most common mistake is shooting a script that isn't ready or too ambitious for the shoestring budget. It's always best to keep it simple, but remember horror fans want a horror move, so try your best to give them what they want.
What's the best advice about filmmaking that you've ever received?
DANNY DRAVEN: Never invest any more in a film than you can afford to lose.
As a filmmaker, what's the smartest decision you've ever made? The dumbest?
DANNY DRAVEN: The smartest would have to be getting myself on a set early in my career. I'm a film school grad, but the things you learn on set will stay with you forever. There is no other place to learn! Get off the armchair and get your butt on the set.
The dumbest has to be financing a movie on credit cards. It's tempting for a lot of aspiring indie guys, but DON'T DO IT!
I was reading on Estsy an article by Stacey Brooke that gives recommendations to their community on how to help buyers recognize what they are getting when they purchase a hand-made item, and I couldn’t help but feel that a lot of it is readily applicable to the world of Truly Free Film. We are talking about hand-crafted personal work, not assembly line market-driven product. Truly Free Film is “a different thing entirely” from Hollywood. Brooke sums it up well:
Your products aren’t the blue arugula created on an assembly line by workers paid far too little and shipped across the country to big box warehouses who take all the money and credit for your blood and sweat. You make things and sell things you put your soul into. You need to impart that message to your buyers. You need to show them — it’s a whole different thing.
What she discusses is also so true about truly free film. Brooke & Etsy suggests to their sellers to document their process and post videos. In the film world, this is our “behind the scenes” video. Generally filmmakers just call this “additional content”. Yet, as pointed on Etsy, these videos help audiences and buyers recognize why a work is distinct.
They encourage their community to “bolster their descriptions” about what they are selling, to explain the process in detail. With a complex work like a feature film or cross-media project, this is not simple by any means. Yet the more we understand what an artist set out to accomplish, what they discovered, what their influences were, how things shifted over time — the more we are allowed into the creative process — the more we will feel intimate with the artist(s). The move we feel intimate with the artist(s), the more we are likely to promote and curate their work.
I personally love it when film gets personal. It’s one thing to do it with the content, but for me, being of the mind that cinema is really everything that surrounds a particular feature, it’s something a whole lot more, when the personal is illuminated in the process. I love the post that Matthew Porterfield did about his film PUTTY HILL because it felt truly heartfelt for me. It was intimate. That is another thing that all these Kickstarter campaigns do for me: they keep it intimate. I see their success and failure measured
Part Two left with my cliffhanger. Zak & Kevin have come up with several answers to the questions (along with raising the bar for whatever you’d call the quick release group discussion centered around a common event). Watching this I was very won over by Sultan Sharrief ’s efforts. I sit with so many filmmakers who remain willing to put their trust in the old way of getting stars and expecting them to bring out the fans, finance, and distrib’s appetite. It is very refreshing and inspiring to see folk like Sultan Sharrief accept the world as it really is and not let it stand in the way of their creative efforts. And thanks to Sabi Pictures for helping to spread that energy and reality. Check out their whole series if you haven’t. You will be glad you did.
When you think of it, why has it taken twenty years for the filmmaking community to take advantage of a location specific event like Sundance, and gather together people to discuss what it going on in our community at this time? Zak and Kevin at Sabi do it so well, here’s hoping that other festivals recognize how this type of film can launch their festivals to the next level and should employ these guys to make these films regularly!.
Oh, and since I forgot to post Part Two, here it is:
Press/Pause/Play is a new documentary work-in-progress “about the change in production, distribution, and consumption of creative works”. Obviously it is subject that interests me. The filmmakers came by my office to interview me a while back. Check it out.
What was your filmmaking background before you made Smalltimore?
JEANIE:Nil. This was my first project. I wrote, directed, and produced it. I did all of the casting and location scouting. I also edited it and compiled the soundtrack - 37 original songs by 11 Baltimore artists. I relied heavily on my Director of Photography, Michelle Farrell, in regards to the cinematography. She did a fantastic job. I knew what I wanted for certain shots, but I gave her a lot of creative leeway. We have a great steadicam shot near the end that I call our Goodfellas, shot. It was my idea and it was really tough, and at the time she said it was the hardest shot she ever pulled off. We're both pretty proud of that one. I drive her crazy but she likes it because I challenge her to do new things. We make a great team.
Where did you get the idea for the film?
JEANIE:I have always been a writer but had never had the stamina to write anything I couldn't finish in one sitting. Five years ago I was interested in two different men, and one morning I woke up with an entire story from start to finish in my head, loosely based on these quasi-relationships, along with a lot of other things that were going on in my life at the time. I wrote as fast as I could before I forgot it, and had the first draft written within a month. I never really thought I'd do anything with it. I knew it needed a lot of work but I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong. A year later, my friend Thom, who didn't know of the script's existence, unwittingly said something to me that sparked an idea of how to fix the script.
Unfortunately, two weeks later Thom was killed in a car accident (http://www.thomhickling.com/). What he never knew was that I based a character on him. Thom was a very special, unique person and I could not imagine anyone else playing his part. I was too sad to work on the script because he was in it. It remained untouched for another 7 months.
Then in July of 2006 I met the actor Bill Pullman when he was staying for three weeks at the bed & breakfast I operate in Baltimore. bill reminded me so much of Thom, he is one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet, and now picturing Bill as Thom I could write again without being so sad, even though I knew it was doubtful that Bill would actually play Thom if I ever got it off the ground. I did ask him to, which he very sweetly and politely declined. We have stayed in touch and he has been very supportive of me throughout the process. He has his own copy of Smalltimore.
Honestly, though, what made me get off my butt and actually get the thing made was that I was tired of seeing bad movies, especially romantic comedies that rely solely on star power to sell them. They are insulting to the intelligence of women and create completely unrealistic expectations. Also, I HATE knowing five minutes into the movie exactly what is going to happen for the rest of the film. Most of them, if you see the commercial, you've seen the movie. Makes me nuts. Runaway Bride was the final straw.
And I wanted to show off MY Baltimore. So many people who have never been here only know of it through shows like, The Wire and Homicide. That is not the Baltimore I see every day. My friends are artists, poets, musicians, writers, sculptors, painters, filmmakers, and, of course, bartenders. We all have day jobs, but we don't talk about them much. That's what pays the rent, not what defines us.
What technology did you employ to shoot the film and what did you like about it?
JEANIE:We shot on an HVX-200A, and I really think it shoots beautifully. We shot on the P2 cards, and those things are a dream when it comes to editing, way easier than shooting on mini-DV tapes. With the cards, every time you turn the camera off it cuts the clip as its own file. Saves you countless hours in editing. The downside was that we couldn't just let the camera roll and roll because the cards have limited space, so we didn't capture a lot of the funny stuff that happens between takes. But now that I know better what I am doing, in the same situation I would have the cards offloaded during the lunch break so we wouldn't be such slaves to the time limitations.
What was the smartest thing you did during pre-production or production? The dumbest?
JEANIE:The smartest thing I did was having a table read of the script with the entire cast, and really working through it and allowing the actors some input. Not only did this collaboration help make the script stronger and funnier, it also established a respect between the actors and myself. Actors are so often forced to recite terrible, unnatural dialogue and they have no control over it whatsoever. They really appreciated that I listened to them. Every one of them has at least one line in the film that is something they came up with themselves. When you can't pay talented people what they are worth financially, it is important to find a way to make them feel appreciated and allow them some ownership of the character and the project.
The other smartest thing I did was hiring Michelle as my DP. And the other smartest thing was planning all of the locations within a five-mile radius.
The dumbest thing I did was not having an Assistant Director. At the time, I didn't really know what that position was, the title is very misleading. I thought that meant that that person helped to direct the actors, and I didn't want anyone directing other than myself. But what an AD really does is keep the pace moving, makes sure everyone is where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there, locks down the set, puts out fires, anything that needs to be done. I was doing all of this myself for the most part, plus the bulk of the production work, plus directing. At the end of a 15-hour day I'd go home and spend hours making up the call sheets for the next day, and even going grocery shopping for the craft services. It was too much. It is hard to believe in retrospect that I even managed to pull it off. I didn't get much sleep for two weeks. I have been AD for other people on several projects since then. It is a position that I really enjoy, and I will never do a feature without one again.
And, finally, what did you learn from making the film that you can take to other projects?
JEANIE:Good lord, I can't possibly answer that question concisely. I still learn something new every day. That's the best thing about filmmaking. The learning never ends, and it is never the same day twice.
I guess what I have learned that is useful across the board, is that I have lost most of my stage fright. Public speaking used to terrify me, but now it is sort of a rush. I have kept a blog since the moment I jumped into this mess two years ago, at the earliest stages of pre-production, when I didn't even know what the term "B-roll," meant. The first year the blog (still available online) was www.charmcitythemovie.blogspot.com. The working title of the movie was Charm City, because I didn't want anyone to scoop the title Smalltimore from me. Not even the cast knew that Charm City was never intended as the movie's title.
When I screened the rough cut to cast & crew in December 2008 I revealed the real title and started the current blog, www.smalltim orethemovie.blogspot.com. On these blogs you can read through the process with me blow-by-blow. I've garnered a small but loyal coast-to-coast following. It is a peek behind the curtain into the world of indie filmmaking. In some ways it is not nearly as glamorous as most people think it is. In other ways, ya know what, it is. It is really a lot of fun, a LOT of work, it is exciting and unpredictable and insane and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I have a lecture coming up on Communication For Producers. Seems to me before one can communicate they need to know what needs to be expressed. This is that list.
Why do you love this movie?
You are making the director’s movie. (which isn’t the same as doing everything the director wants).
You are trying to make the best movie possible.
You will make the movie profitable.
You will get the movie seen. You will find the film's audiences.
The producer works to create the right environment for all.
You appreciate people’s good work & hard work.
You have chosen to be here and know others have chosen that too.
People like to be led. You are here to provide leadership.
People like to participate. Provide opportunities.
Anyone can follow a plan. What can you do to provide inspiration?
Calm = clarityWhat do you need to do to reduce stress so all see clearly?
Why will they believe you? How will they follow you?
Q: How did you find out about this movie? A: Actually my daughter had heard about the production and I simply followed along with my camera in hopes of capturing a few shots of her during the audition. One thing lead to another and I was asked if I would do some of the still photography.
Q: You took the stills on the day that the funeral was shot. Did you find any special challenges in taking photos on the film shoot? A: Not really. The staff and all the extras were very accommodating and that made the shoot really easy. I find that the more professional the people are, the easier it is to work.
Q: Describe your favorite photo that you took on the set of Under Jakob's Ladder. A: There were so many great shots and I'm sure, so many great stories, but my favorite photo from the shoot was of our leading man Jeff Stewart. I believe that it brought out the drama in the character Jakob. [see photo at left]
Q: Who introduced you to photography? A: My uncle introduced me to the wonders of the dark room and for the first year and a half or so I hadn't picked up a camera. Everything was in the darkroom. I loved it then and I kinda miss it today with the advent of digital. So every once in a great while, I still shoot a roll of B&W film and develop it.
Q: Do you prefer shooting in color or B&W? A: I love color images, but my roots still take me back to B&W. There's so much feeling and drama in B&W.
Q: What are your favorite subjects to shoot? A: Portraiture and fashion are my passion. As a form of relaxation, I love to do landscape and an occasional fine art shoot.
Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photo shoot! A: I guess I'm sort of boring in this area. When I get behind the camera, I get real serious about my work. If I had to talk about my scariest story, it would have to be the first time I did a fashion shoot. Even though I was well trained, I felt that the models would see my inexperience and that didn't happen. The models were great and just took my simple direction and started to move. From there, it was a walk in the park. A scary, but great experience.
Q: Is there anybody or anything you would love to photograph (and haven't had the chance yet)? A: Right now the sky's the limit. I'd like to go out west and photograph some of the landscape, it's so beautiful. As far as people are concerned, anyone who walks in front of my camera.
Q: Who or what gives you inspiration? A: In the world of landscape work, it has to be Ansel Adams. Probably the most well known and greatest master of B&W photography. In lighting and fashion, it would be Dean Collins and Janusz Kawa respectively.
Q: If someone wants you to take photos at an event, how do they contact you? A; I can be reached at cardinalestudio@aol.com or at 914-310-4264.
Q: As a photographer, what does photography mean to you? A: Photography is one of my most creative outlets. I think most people have a deep need to create, and that creative need is often frustrated with the everyday requirements of modern life. I try to set aside time to do those creative things.
Q: Are there any special challenges you found with taking photos on a film shoot? A: If there was a ‘pecking order’ on the set, I was at the bottom. I had to be behind all the cast and crew, and they kept shifting around. So I kept moving my camera and tripod to find a ‘hole’ to shoot from.
Q: How did you find out about this movie? A: My wife, Judy, was an extra and I came along out of curiosity.
Q: From the photos you took on set, which are your favorites? A: One of my favorites would be the one with Chloe [role of Marta] and Victoria [role of Rachel]. It shows a deep eye-to-eye connection they shared. It is a sacred and personal moment. And if you were to draw a line from Chloe to Victoria, it would form a diagonal. Diagonal structures in a photo tend to be more interesting that horizontal ones.
My second favorite would be the one with Victoria in the background and Johanna [1st AD] in the foreground. It captures the contrast between the historical past as represented by Victoria and the contemporary present, represented by Johanna. It doesn’t hurt the photo that they are both beautiful women. There is also the diagonal compositional element present in this photo also.
Q: What got you started in photography? A: I got my first real camera in Tokyo when I was on R&R (rest and recuperation) in the Army during the Vietnam War. My first real photo shoot was of the Bob Hope Christmas show at Long Binh in December 1968. I was picked to be on the stage crew so I had an opportunity to get some close-up shots of Bob Hope and Ann Margaret.
Q: Do you prefer taking photos in color, or in black and white? A: I know many photographers prefer black and white, but I am not one of them. I look at it this way: If I had to choose between seeing the world only in black & white or in full color, my choice would not be difficult. I would choose color in a heartbeat.
Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph? A: I really enjoy shooting people, but I don’t get a lot of opportunity to do that. That is one reason it was a treat for me to shoot on the movie set. I also enjoy waterscapes, wildlife, and bridges.
Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photo shoot! A: I had the good fortune to go on a cruise for photographers that originated in Montreal and cruised around to Boston, stopping at many interesting ports on the way. Members of this group attended classes on photography when we were on the ship and went on photo shoots when we put into port. We were really able to connect with our instructors and with others attending the workshops. My richest memories always involve the bonds I have had the privilege to form with other people. On that cruise I also fell in love with the City of Quebec and was awed by the beauty of Acadia National Park in Maine.
Q: Is there anybody or anything you would love to photograph (and haven't had the chance yet)? A: There are many really talented actors and actresses I would love to shoot. Bjork, the singer/actress comes to mind. Actors/actresses communicate as much with their eyes and facial expressions as they do with their spoken words. To capture those silent soul messages in a photograph would be just fabulous.
Q: What is your advice to someone who wants to be a photographer? A: Concentrate on learning good composition. And then learn everything you can about post-production editing with Photoshop.
Q: If someone wants you to take photos at an event, how do they contact you? A: You can call me on the phone at 845-294-7361 or email me at: croton@warwick.net. They can see some of my work at www.postersfromtheheart.com by clicking on the ‘photo gallery’ link.
