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The new system is wonderful — playing the media natively on the fly makes productivity a breeze — although there was a few days of learning curve for Premiere Pro 5.5, but things are on track and with a few people able to view parts of the movie over Skype and give me some feedback, either them telling me and/or crying as they watched — it is an emotional movie and we have the actors to thank for that; their performances are touching and genuine.
As I approach the final few days of fine-tuning and tweaking, PICTURE LOCK is around the corner so I can get it to the composer, colorist, audio department, and foley. They will work on it and then when finished all those components will come together to make the final polished product worthy of your KUDO’S, Smiles, Pride, Tears, Joy, and Adulations — I am hoping, but with the reviews I have recieved sop far, I cannot find any reason anyone would truly hate it other than the fact they were not involved.
More to come … as is a Wrap / Premeire Party at the Winery & Vineyard.
NOTICE: I am in no way condoning the use of name calling in any form or at anyone; this is a deeper look into the connotation that one puts on themselves when they say that is is a negative to call them those names; therefore, they are calling THEMSELVES that name and putting more of a focus and a negativity on it.
Yes, this is film and TV related because I saw it as a PSA during prime time on a few networks.
The first one I saw was many, many months ago and it was about the word GAY. And they did not want you to say “Oh that’s so Gay.” Because it is so negative toward them.
What I read from that is being GAY is a negative thing. That is what they are telling me in that PSA. I would think and hoped they would have done it differently, and made the word GAY have a more positive meaning like GREAT, AWESOME, or some Godly type reference. So when some one says “That’s Gay.” It would have a positive meaning and for most of the Gay bashers they would stop saying that and find some other word totally different than the self described word “GAY.” Of course that would be a different battle for them to get over, but being Gay, or the word Gay, would not be a negative.
Like when we used to say that was “SIck” or “Bad,” which really meant AWESOME, COOL, or HOT!
SO…. Yesterday I just saw another one about racist names and the last one being “Retarded.” Now again, I do not condone the use of name calling or racial slurs; people should grow up and be considerate; but forcing people to change or care has never worked in the history of history.
What ever happened to the saying “Sticks and Stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me?”
Did that go the way of the Dodo? Did people stop being strong enough? I mean in a world where we, or I should say society, tells us to be ourselves, be strong, and so forth, we are in a whiney little, “Oh gosh, don’t pick on me,” look at me, respect me kind of mode. One person said to me “Oh those are just words and have no meaning.” I replied with so are the owrds coming out of someone’s mouth. They have no meaning unless you allow them to have meaning.” Just like someone giving you the FINGER. I smile, wave, and say thank you. I know I am number one.” This makes the person giving you the finger even more upset, because they did not upset you and win with the finger, I turned it back around top them.” I love it.
I say, screw the name callers; the nay sayers; the inconsiderate people that call you names and put you down; the Social Psychologists say they do that cause they are unhappy with themselves, their own lives, and are jealous, and they want to feel good about themselves, so they pick on others; Be a load a crock or not, grow up, deal with it, and move on with your life.
HISTORIC FACT about my growing up: When I was in high school or even earlier than that there were kids that made fun of others like: “Oh your mom’s so fat.” ”Oh your sister blah blah.” What ever it was, well, what I did was I joined in and picked on myself more than they could. ”My mom wants her combat boots from under your bed.” and so forth. They stopped picking on me because I took their fun away and was never bothered or picked on again.
SECOND EXAMPLE with my children: My daughter had a problem with her brother and I picking on her. I kept telling her that “When you react, that is what the picker is trying to achieve. If you ignore them, they eventually will go away and leave you alone.” And I know some of you are saying it doesn’t work, but the “GO Away” part is also in your court. Find a new circle of friends, work, living conditions, or what ever it is and they WILL go away.
Take responsibility for your treatment by others. There will always, ALWAYS, be name callers, finger-pointers, racial slurs. You will NOT change that by telling them NOT to call you that; that is now what they will call you. You just gave them ammunition.
Look at Politics, Rush Limbaugh, O’Reily, and everyone else. Tell me they are not calling people, groups, organizations, and parties racial, rude, and incalled for names.
AGAIN: I am not condoning name calling; but GET OVER IT! Spend your time on important things that one can actually make a difference, and when you do, let me know when it happens, because I have been trying to do that with my stories with positive and encouraging messages just like composers, songwriters, poets, novelists, artists, and other filmmakers have, but the world, people, and society are not much better because of it; but we do it becuase we have hope and that we want to be remembered as those that at least tried to make a difference; but even then, we still get criticized for trying, but we still persevere.
I hear people now saying “That’s so Gerald,” “What a Davenport.” “He did a Gerald.” And I in return bow and say thank you. I know it’s great.
As we enter the holiday season, my editing time will and has been limited on Petite Chardonnay.
Family is a key component to our life, and I will not miss any moment to spend time with mine. Hope you spend time with yours.
The intense and uninterrupted post production as come to a crawl until after the new year when it will be 18 hour days and nights for at least 3 months without any distractions.
There will be some assembly, but only basic preparation per scene, takes, and organization during this time, as well as, creating more marketing material such as updated posters, calendars, teasers, shirts, winter apparel, and more plus an exciting development I have decided to create a PHOTOGRAPH BOOK. A 100 plus page book of selected photos from the 1600 photos that Patricia Collins, Mark Hoffman, George Ann Heck, Lisa West, and others have taken during the production. The book may cost over $50, but it will be a hard cover, full color, landscape view — a must have coffee table book; and proceeds will be split amongst the photographers.
LOOK FOR THESE for your holiday shopping needs and grab a few items not just unique to collect, but they are useful.
http://www.cafepress.com/ariapicturesshop
I have the interviews and BTS video that Steve Dakota and Mark Hoffman took and will be assembling those together which does not take much concentration as the story itself; I am not worried about how fancy the bts sequence is as I am NOT selling that as the main story, not that it is going to be done with haste and no care, just saying I want my full attention on editing the movie, so I can keep working while family is home for the holidays.
Jim Heck is creating a photographic slide show for many uses, one is for the wrap party that is still in my mind, which I should get more votes from instead of a select few: do you want and think a sit down, semi formal $20 for adults and $10 for kids under 12 at Lucchesi or Double Oak in May would interest anyone?
I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season, the end of the year, and a very, very prosperous and safe 2012 for all my family and friends. MAKE A NOTE: 2012 will bring new things for everyone, both financially and personally.
God Bless, peace, be safe.
- ger
this is a continuing and on going Guide and is subject to additions as I think of them.
This is a guide to help up and coming filmmakers who need a little information about the ins and outs of making a movie on a small, low, or no budget.
PART ONE
Start at the end to know where to start
Most people think the important thing when making a movie is having a Camera — and that may have some validity; Some think you have to have a good story before you start — and yes a good story is a key element; There are those that feel the acting is most important when making a movie — and again acting is also a relevant part in making a movie — good or bad — but none of those compare in importance to knowing how you are going to finish the movie, such as, the media format, the editing system, music, audio and video effects, the output format, and most of all THE EDITOR.
You can have the best camera, box office smash script, and professional actors but without knowing how you are going to finish it and without an editor, a competent editor, you might as well stop before you get started.
An editor — a good one not to mention a great one — is the most important element in the film making process — yes this is coming from an editor and although it may sound biased it is a fact. And after working on many, many projects and seeing other projects that don’t have a experienced editor on them, the projects that have longevity, look good, or even have a chance at getting finished have an editor that knows what they are doing.
WHAT AN EDITOR DOES FOR YOU
A skilled and experienced editor is the last person that tells the story, the person that puts all the pieces together in a cohesive manner — some may think the Director dictates the story, the edits, and the cuts which may be true, but the editor actually makes them happen — and the editor is the one that has the knowledge of how to export it in the format that was decided upon in the beginning which dictated how the movie was to be recorded in the first place — THE EDITOR IS KEY!
The editor is the one that spends hours, and I don’t mean 2 or 6 I mean 10 – 18 plus in a day, going back and forth on one edit to decide if it is one frame to the left or one frame to the right that will make the difference in the scene — these are the small things that no one will notice or see unless is was done incorrectly — and we as editors know this, but it is our job, our love of story telling, and our need to do things right that sets us above everyone else in the film making world — we have the time to fine tune and try variations.
The editor sets the pacing of the movie and a scene and can do so no matter what the pacing was on set. The editor can also make an actor look good or bad depending on the takes used — and it is not always about taking the best performance on each camera set up on each actor in each scene it’s about what take works well with the preceding clip and the previous and the two before and after — these are the duties, the responsibilities, and the reverence that us editors revel in.
There are so many things that an editor does to make a movie even get finished let alone be something people want to watch over and over again, it is truly a joke when someone who just bought or has played with a movie editing program for a short time sits in front of it to cut a movie, not a home movie, not some slide show, and not some youtube video of his friend crashing on his bike, but a real movie they want to project onto the big screen. A real editor edits something everyday, learns something, challenges them self to get better, to be more creative, and to become more useful to a film project than one else or any other equipment.
Without a real editor skilled and experienced editor you’re just pretending your making a movie.
Day 6, Sunday, November 13, 2011, brought us a cool day — not as cold as expected — and as the day went on it also brought us closer to the end of our last day of principal photography — which was both exciting and heartbreaking.
With the five leads and a very small crew we kept to the same quality and discipline that we held throughout the production. I could tell that everyone felt the end was in the air and we would not see each other in this capacity on this film again, but that did not bring their spirits down; everyone pushed forward and completed their tasks.
And when Frank Cosgriff — our first Assistant Director — yelled “That’s a wrap!” Many emotions and cheers filled the room.
Most may feel their part in this film is over, and that may be true for some, but the journey is not — I think about everyone and carry them with me as I work the magical part of the process of filmmaking — at least the magic that I can add to it — everyone has done their job, now it is my turn.
As the days, weeks, and months go by many of you will find other projects to do, grow up, and have their braces removed; meenwhile I will be focused and working hard on one project; this film called Petite Chardonnay. I will — at certain times — keep you up to date on the progress of the film in post production — I have already purchased several boxes of tissue for the occasion.
So with your patients, understanding, and I know you have the passion, dedication, and devotion for this film, we will continue to walk beside each other — in spirit of course — but to me the JOURNEY is NOT over — we have created memories and relationships that will live forever.
Be safe, God Bless, and I thank you so much for being a part of the first phase of this epic story.
- gerald
I have been pondering — for many, many months now — about writing a “HOW TO” book about filmmaking, or really about how to finish a movie. I am not a famous filmmaker … yet, but what I lack in fame and fortune I make up in notoriety and skills in the post-production department, so that would be the emphasis of the writing — “How to finish a movie and bring to the masses for the beginner and intermediate filmmakers of the world.”
Kind of a long title, but that is more of a summary of what would be the context of the book. Or would it be a weblog series? A weblog series would be more complicated in making money from it. Would I want to make money from my experience, knowledge, secrets, and skills? Who wouldn’t? But there are two sides of that coin; and both should be considered in detail because each one has its own meanings and possibilities; but at the core of either one of them, the fact that I would be telling, giving away, and handing over my techniques that I have spent $40,000 going to school to learn and spent 25 years honing would be outlandish.
I mean, think about it; you see those people on tv saying they have found the answer to self financial freedom and if you want to know my secret, send me $$ and I will show you your path to financial freedom.
My question to those people — and to the one’s who buy into it — is, “If it works so well and you are the only one who knows this secret, why the heck would you share it with anyone? Why have competitors? Why share in the bounty of the treasure?” KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!
I mean. If I had the secret of life, riches beyond imagination, and the power to control it, I would NOT share it with anyone; well maybe my kids, some family, and a few close friends; MAYBE! But to sell the idea to the world? NO. If it was that great of a plan, idea, or information you would keep it to yourself. So the fact that they are trying to sell you a get rich quick scheme tells me it’s not worth the stamps they mail it with.
There is the quandary and the dilemma that I am going through. I know my information will make beginning and experienced filmmakers in Sacramento, and the world, better filmmakers, or in such a way they would make better finished products that I would enjoy watching; but do I want to create competition for me that it hurts my chances at becoming a paid filmmaker and editor for A-list movies; either my own or someone else’s? The reason for my apprehension is there are a few, not many, but a few really, really good aspiring filmmakers in Sacramento area. One thing I have learned about life is, if you are having a party, and do not want the neighbors to complain, you invite them to the party; also, if you have competition that might beat you, you should ask them to be apart of your team.
That just might be the answer; I need to get these people on my side and work with me, not against me, and in so doing combining our skills and talents into one creating a better chance for all of us to reach the top than battling each other.
I am exhausted but what keeps me going is the exeptional cast & crew that I get to see on the weekends as we walk hand in hand on this epic journey creating a tender, heart touching, and emotional movie that will last forever — a new breed of actors and filmmakers to enterain the masses.
I am so ready for this weekend, I hope you are.
AAAHHH Gotcha!!! I know right. We should just do it anyway.
We have three options of the interiors for the 13th and the first one will be a small crew, the others will be semi small crew but we will have a simple wrap party for cast & crew and either be potluck or bring your own thing to bbq and a salad. But that is not confirmed yet, just planting the seed.
the clips, takes, and media look so awesome and the acting is not that bad. HA! you know I joke around and you know I am harder on myself than anyone else, and as I have said before, like with all my other projects, movies, and creations I will spend the same amount of care and time to make this a cherished movie you will be proud to talk about for years to come.
It was a long day of struggles, heat, distance, learning, and wonderful performances. Yes all in one day. We all made it through, some not as well as others, they did survive after all the hard work I made them do. this was the hard working day for the crew and cast.
The scenes are 90% captured, I guess the other 10% I will have to live without only becuase I came in with a different plan, which was watch the scene and then decide how to photograph it. It may have worked for others but it didn’t for for me.
I am please, very pleased, with what we have and the actors and crew. It was a long hard day but WORTH IT!!
Thanks to Lori Grbac, Jacob Ambrosini, McKenna Whiting, Gary L. Conovor, Michael Klemp, C.J. Berdahl, and Nolan Bourassa for their talents and time.
