It has been a while since the last update, because we've been full throttle toward a finished film. Man ... making a movie, moreover FINISHING a movie, is a lot of work.
We re-wrote and re-wrote, got pick-up shots twice, and did three sessions of voice overs. I've spent numerous hours with an editor at a local post production house called Crash+Sues chopping up and splicing back together the picture you'll see very soon. Searched for a composer. Found the wonderful Jack Whaley. Then spent countless hours composing music with Jack, who resides in Chicago. Yesterday the final music files were uploaded to my drop box. Also on the music front I got a lovely waltz for a special scene from a man named Don Neely in San Francisco. He leads a band called the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra. From there searched for a sound designer. By way of the MN Film Board found the very experienced Ameen Abdulla of Moth Lab who has hit the ground running as our sound designer, and by way of craigslist found Eric Tuominen who has come aboard as a sound editor. Together they are currently working to sync our sound, clean up the audio, edit the music so it gives us goose bumps, and add in special effects that hopefully you'll never notice but will enhance the film experience exponentially. Those effects include room tones, wind blowing, tires screeching, clocks ticking, hearts beating, people breathing - all that I had to scrub through the film and cue. It is a very big job they have. I should say that we have.
In the end I personally have learned more than I thought imaginable. About OMFs, FTPs, EDLs, 10 second handles, cue sheets, spotting, and a lot of other filmmaker terms that I didn't know two months ago. And at the end of the day that wouldn't have been possible without your support. So thank you. For the experience - and not just for me - for the 60+ people and counting who are all learning, growing, exploring, creating, and having the times of their lives with this project.
Now in just TWO DAYS we will have an official rough cut of the film - a movie with all its moving parts. A locked picture that has been through color correction, an original score, an animated opening title and special effects throughout the film that you'll never know are there, and professional sound design that will blow your ears away. Then we will take a week or so to tweak, perfect, enhance. And in my next update I'm going to tell you where our first public screening will be held. There will be a red carpet.
Thank you!!!
