It's Over!

Well, all shoots are now! Hopefully we will all have great films at the end. Lots of hard work put in by lots of hard working people over the last five weeks and I for one appreciate the professionalism of everyone involved.

The Ogre film went well, although there were a few hiccups (loss of a location at the last minute being a major stress), but we managed to get all that we need - I hope!

I would like to thank the wonderful Cassie for all her hard work, organisation, maginificent sets and costumes and her unfailing support throughout - I couldn't have done it without her! Also, my fabulous cameraman, Tom, whose creativity helped me achieve my vision despite the problems! A big thanks to the rest of the crew - Dan V, Dan L, Nick C, Rowan, Nick S, Dragan, Jodie, Peta and Vanessa - who helped to bring it all together and make the set a fun one. Couldn't have done it without you guys!!

Here are some of Dragan's fabulous production photos...

...and a stressed director!

The Day From Hell....

Enough said.

Paperwork

I'm up to elbows in paperwork - as I'm sure everyone is! - it's a pain, but at the same time it feels like everything is finally coming together. It may yet be possible to pull this off!

The warehouse people refuse to sign anything until a week before the shoot! I felt sure Peter would have some stern words about this, but no, he understood, so that's one less pressure. I'm still yet to get through to someone - anyone - from Dept of Heritage & Environment about the Anstey Hill location. They've given the ok, all relevant times, dates, etc, passed on, but I can't get through to anyone so the all important form can be signed. Bugger. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow...

Julia Farr have got back to me, they are checking with their insurance company - I'm now praying to all the gods that are listening, "Please let them say "yes" first thing Monday morning!!!" Here's hoping...

So apart from locations, everything else is settled, got all my actors and most of the contracts signed. Cassie is busy with schedules and call sheets, location breakdowns and everything else that makes up the equivalent of an entire tree, that needs to be seen by the Big P on tuesday.

Locations

Today I had a meeting with a guy from Flinders Ports about using a shed on the warves. I went and saw two sheds - both really great. The first is at Outer Harbour and is very quiet and very rustic. I didn't take this photo, so it is beautiful...

The second shed is at Inner Harbour, which although a much closer location, is surrounded by busy port life - containers being brought in and out on trucks to be loaded or unloaded, forklifts buzzing around and a bloody great trench being dug right outside the shed! But if we can't get #1 dock, it is a good fall back and we'll cope with the noise problem. I did take this photo, hence it is blurry. Hey, I never said I was a photographer!!

Because both places are part of big commercial ports, the security is very high. All cast and crew will have to have security clearance which entails an induction sometime in the next week. Then we will be locked in and unable to leave until the end of the shoot, so we'll have to bring all our food with us on that day. And Peter, you will not be able to visit us that day.

Another location we are using is at Anstey Hill Recreation Park, which we have permission to use. This is what it looks like:

Now, here's hoping Julia Farr comes through for the exteriors!!

Overload

I'm having serious location anxiety at the moment. The two key locations have not yet been locked in - Julia Farr haven't got back to me, even after many phone calls - Anstey Hill have verbally given the OK, but I need to fill in their forms and they need to fill in mine, but I seem unable to get hold of the ranger at the moment.

So I have a cast, crew and no-where to shoot. This makes finding catering options a problem - it's no good getting someone and finding out you're shooting on the other side of town!

My other major anxiety is casting for Gimme Shelter with only a couple of actors cast. We're casting our net further afield in the hopes of finding someone appropriate. I've contacted a friend of mine who is a stand-up comedian and she's given me a few people who are both actors and comedians - hopefully something will come of it. I've also contacted an actor friend who may know of a few people too. Here's hoping!

I spent 6 hours of my mothers day doing a shot list and schedule for the Ogre, plus going through Gimme Shelter getting a rough shooting schedule together. What a lovely day! I recieved a wonderful Mother's Day gift (something I've always wanted and who wouldn't) - a candle in the shape of a pot of jam....

The opening shot of the Ogre is a bombed, mostly destroyed cityscape. Tom and I have had various ideas over the weeks, including matte paintings, piecing together bits on After Effects and having a model built. I contacted a group in the Northern suburbs who seemed keen until I sent them the specifics of what I wanted and I haven't heard "boo" from them since. Mmmmm...

As I was writing this post I got a call from a person I contacted a couple of weeks ago at Transport SA and they have got a suggestion for a warehouse in Port Adelaide. Of course, someone else has to be informed/asked, whatever, and things move very slowly in government departments. But, they also gave me the name of a Real Estate agent in the Port area who may be able to help. Yet more phone calls...

Tonight I'm having my first rehearsal with the kids which will be fun! Tomorrow I've got a meeting with Jodi from Media Make-up Academy and another actor coming in to sign a contract. No doubt there will be more phone calls and stress as I attempt schedules for Gimme Shelter and Just Killing Time.

Do I have a life? And what is this strange facial tick I've developed lately?

GIMME SHELTER

This post is about Gimme Shelter, because half my time is spent in producing and organising things for it.

Last night and today we held auditions with a couple of successes. We shared the space and camera with Dave, who also had a some successes! Busy, bustling night! We are chasing some other people and hope to audition them early next week. I've got hold of some actor/comedians that I hope will enjoy the thrill of student productions. More time on the phone! (My ear is hot, my credit is low, my voice mail has never been so busy!)

We've found most of the locations for the film (big sigh of relief considering my anxiety over the locations for The Ogre) and just need to find a police cell for all to be in place. Peter gave us a good lead with an ex-MAPS student who is now a police officer - I'm chasing that up and hope it's fruitful.

Costumes are coming along. Nick C found a bag full of the old, dirty, stinky clothes I used in Bush Tucker last year. Perfect for the fashion conscious hobo about town! Mind you, I may use some of them for the Ogre, too - something to look out for in the films!

Despite the enormous amount of Super Hero art work that is being produced in the Advanced room at the moment, lots of real work is also being achieved, notably, lots of storyboards were completed yesterday and I believe more were completed today. Yeah!! Go MAPS! We rock!

9th May, 2007

Ok. This is my first blog ever and I can't believe I'm actually doing this! This is for you Peter - you owe me now!

Pre-production for my short film is coming along at a very fast pace. Lots has been done already and I'm not going to go into it in too much detail as we've been at it for 4 weeks already. I've got skulls from the science dept at Hamilton, one firm location and another still waiting on a reply, auditions well under way, costumes coming together and lots of other art dept stuff.

I auditioned 16 children on Monday evening and have cast the roles of Sally-Ann, Johnson and Neil and am still deciding over Tahlia - I may yet have a call back. I rang a few kids back today to let them know they didn't get the part - god I hate that part of the job.

Cassie is a champion and has organised a make-up artist who we are meeting next week. She is a graduate of the Media Make-up Academy and will be creating our special effects make-up for the Ogre and the Goblin - wonderfully designed by Nick S.

Today, Cassie, Tom and I went up to the location I found in Anstey Hill Recreation Park. What a find! Not only is it perfect with old cement walls and rusty iron girders, we discoved a place where old computers and TV's are hurled from a cliff to their explosive ending below. Lots of broken bits of circuit boards, broken TV faces, VCR faces all rusted and weathered beautifully - just what we needed! Cassie has taken home bits to make up oddments for the kids costumes and decorations for the bedroom scene. Excellent stuff!

Unfortunately, storyboards won't be finished by tomorrow, but we are nearly there! Everything will be alright!