I think it’s high time for an update, don’t you?
There’s no one major thing to report, just a lot of little developments.
The first film is still being edited, but nearing completion. I have to tell you this is a tricky little film to get working. Having an idea with multiple characters whose faces you never see was always going to be tricky (he says with hindsight) and it’s really in the edit that you start to see where your idea works and doesn’t.
I did a rough first edit and then left it for a few weeks to get some perspective on it, and now I’m busily doing a radical second edit, making it all much shorter and more succint. I’m feeling much better about it now. I’ll keep you posted on how that goes. In the meantime, below are some stills from the shoot to tide you over.
Working on the first film has really helped to get my post production workflow established. I believe in the business they call it the pipeline. Well I’ve been laying crazy pipe. I’m now set up to to edit, grade and apply VFX to footage shot at cinema quality resolutions and beyond. It’s amazing what we can do now with today’s technology. I’m sure that to attempt what I’m doing ten years ago would have required a high-end post production facility and dozens of minions. And personal assistants. And baristas.
I’ve also being doing plenty of writing – working on about five other scripts getting them ready to start sharing with producers, actors, cinematographers and crew. I’m putting together little documents for each of them with story outlines, script, visual references, shooting styles and art direction ideas (thumbnails pictured above). These will be really useful when it’s time to convince incredibly talented people to get involved.
And film number two is slowly getting off the ground. I’m finalising the cast now and have had some sessions with Rupert Brown, the film’s Director of Photography working out how we can make it look a million dollars while only costing three.
For this film I will be workshopping the characters and script with the lead actors over a number of sessions before we shoot. I’m really looking forward to trying this approach.
So that’s where I’m at. Sadly I’m going to have to go back to the workforce for three weeks to keep the instant noodles on the table, but I’ll still be moving forward with 12:12 over that time, you’ll see.
More updates soon.
