Filming Day

The last weekend was filled with excitement. In one corner there was zombie make-up being applied. In another corner the director was filming some small shots and in the other corner of the room I was interviewing a zombie for my mocumentary. Have you ever experienced one of those moments where you just stop and look at everything that's going on as if your an outsider. You become so happy because you are doing exactly what you want to be doing and/or you are surrounded by the people you love and want to be around at that moment. It's like a scene from a movie. Things get silent except for a soft melody in the background and start to move in slow motion. It's a moment filled with contentment. Well, as you probably guessed I experienced that feeling. I was filming. I was part of a small crew helping make a short film. Seeing everything come together was brilliant. There was one scene where a teacher gets chased by a crew of zombies. they knock him down, tear open his stomach and proceed to eat his intestines. watching all of this through my camera was stunning. I know, I know... the first word you think of when watching that scene would probably not be 'stunning' but for me it was. When I film I become so appreciative of the misunderstood and of the more elaborate shots no matter how gruesome they are. I'll be the first to admit it: I am I massive geek when I film. 


This past weekend helped me realize how important it is to always be filming. I learn such an incredible amount each time I film a project. While filming this zombie movie I learned how to better use my camera and what some of the different effects are in the menu of the camera. I also watched Zac (the director and producer) as he organized everyone. It taked a lot to put a film together. I watched him create a shot list and organize everything he needed before he organized all the zombies. When you have a vision for a film you have to make sure that that vision is clear and solid before turning it into a reality. I've directed one section of a move but I was also one of the main actors in that film so I had the other crew members take up a directing role as well during that short scene. I wasn't completely focused on on the role of director. Watching and being apart of this weekends horror movie inspired me to try to really put a vision of mine into action. It is possible. It's time consuming and stressful but it's also very possible. 


Oh and there's one more thing I learned: I could never be a mic boon pole operator. I tried and let me just tell you that it did not go very well... unless you considered hitting three people in the face with the mic a success? 


It's funny when one project comes to a close another one comes into the picture. There's a non profit that helps amputee children with one leg play in a soccer league. Their next project is in Sierra Leon in Africa. They're thinking of hiring me to make a short film for them. I have to make a few calls and give the organization my resume and website URL so they can look at my work. If I get this job I will be so ecstatic. I have always wanted to go to Africa and do some kind of filming project. It's amazing how many doors seem to open for me when it comes to producing movies and documentaries. The film business and I seem to have the perfect relationship. When I am inspired to do films, movie opportunities seem to arise and when I want a break the opportunities don't force their way into my life. They find someone else to take them on. But for now I seem to be moving full force into the film world.


With that I hope that whoever you are reading this blog that you find your passion and fallow it no matter what people tell you. As long as you stick true to yourself the universe will provide for you everything you need. I'm living proof that it works. I'm only twenty and I have had film opportunities materialize before me. Find what you love and see where it takes you. All the best and good luck!

The Big Day is Almost here

This weekend is almost here and besides the fact that it's memorial day weekend do you know what else it is? It's filming day for the Zombie movie. I have a lot to do. Not only am I going to be the second camera for the short movie I am most likely going to help with lighting and sound. But wait there's more! I also I have to keep in mind my short documentary about the zombie craze. I have to interview people on set and ask them about why they think this culture has become so fascinated by zombies. I need to get B roll for the documentary as well. This weekend is going to be hectic to say the least, but I am very excited about it. I haven't done any filming or editing in a while and I'm really looking forward to diving right into it all again. 


I just got a brilliant beyond brilliant idea and you are the first to hear it:


What if instead of making a documentary about why zombies are so popular I made a mocumentary about zombies, there eating habits, there hobbies and so on. I could interview the people who are zombies in the movie and ask them questions as if they're zombies in reality. I could also interview the kids and other "live" people and ask what they think of zombies? Are they scared of them? Do they have any zombie friends? How do they think the zombie epidemic got started? I have never produced a mocumentary before but I have always wanted to. I just never felt like I had a good enough idea to create one... but now I believe it's safe to say that I do. I am very excited about this new idea. It's perfect! 


Film vocabulary:


1. B roll
The alternative footage that is intercut over an interview of a documentary. 


2. Mocumentary
A type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format.

Brains!

This weekend was the zombie make-up test. It was really fun getting turned into a zombie. After I had all my make-up in and my teeth dyed black from food coloring my six year old cousin proceeded to give me directions on how to be a zombie.


"Regan, you have to move slowly and your arm, um, has to be wiggly and you need to look at me like I am your food and your hungry and well you have to kind of like have a broken leg or something."


It was very cute. After she and two of her friends got zombie make-up tested we decided to go to the convenient store to get some ice cream. We went as Zombies. We got some reactions to our brain eating faces but not as dramatic of responses as I thought we would get. People just aren't as scared of zombies as they used to be. I think now there's more of a curiosity towards zombies rather than fear. 

So, the update on the reality show job: I don't think I'm going to do it. I was supposed to have another meeting with the guy who wants to hire me but surprise surprise he didn't show up... again! When he doesn't show up it just feels so disrespectful. It's a waste of my time waiting around for him to show up or contact me to say he's not going to show up. If we do end of working together I am going to charge him for the meetings we have even if he doesn't show up, unless he calls to cancel 24 hours in advance. There are so many details to trying to work with someone and having your own business. It's a process and I'm learning step by step.

It's Zombie time!

The pre production for the zombie narrative is now in motion. Shoot dates are set and casting has begun. I am so excited to be apart of this project. It continually surprises me how much I love filming. I not only love the post production of a film but pre production and filming on set. There's so much energy around putting an idea in action and making it a reality. Tonight we found some extras to be zombies, talked about the film deadlines and schedule as well as zombie make-up that is needed along with props. There is a zombie make-up test that I will be helping with this Friday. I can't wait. My plan is to film my cousin putting the make-up on an extra. I want to use the footage in the documentary I plan to create about zombies being a huge phenomenon among our culture today. I will be killing two birds with one stone as the famous saying goes. Both helping with the make-up test for the narrative and getting B-roll for my documentary. It's important to have this skill of doing two things at once when filming. Time is always an issue when producing movies. 


A quick update on the reality show project: The job hasn't fallen threw yet but it also hasn't moved forward either. We shall see what comes of it in the next week. If nothing happens to make this film set in stone then I am dropping the idea of working on it.


I think a new project is coming into the picture, however. A friend of mine wants to make a short drama. We are both really excited about this idea we have. We won't be getting paid but it doesn't matter considering how passionate and energetic we feel about it. The story line goes a little something like this: An old man living at a retirement home has only a short amount of time to live. He believes he is an alien and has to build a space ship to get back to his kind. He is having his grandson bring him things from the junk yard to help him build this ship in his closet. Meanwhile the new caretaker is watching all of this and grows fond of the old man and the his grandkid. What happens in the end? Does the old man die? Does he really fly away into the universe? Stay tuned and answers will soon unfold. 

Too Good to be True

Why is it that when something feels too good to be true it usually is? I'm getting a little hesitant about the reality show job, especially after what happened today. Andre, the 23 year old that is hiring me, and I were supposed to have a meeting today an hour before I had to go to work at Borders. I text him 20 minutes before we are supposed to meet just checking to see if things are still on. I didn't hear back from, but I just figured he probably couldn't check his phone. I arrive at Peet's Coffee to find that he is not there. I was little early so I waited for a little bit before deciding to go to Borders to see if he is over there. I knew he was supposed to be at work early in the morning and then planning on taking his lunch break for our meeting but no one had seen him around the store. I asked my manager if she had heard anything from Andre. She said that he had called in sick. I proceeded to call him twice and got no answer. At that point I knew he was a no show. It wasn't until 4 hours had gone by that I got a text from him reading, "I'm so sorry... i xalled in today i had a bit of a hangover." First off he texts me, after I call twice and secondly he tells me four hours after we were supposed to meet he's not going to make it. My manager got a call. How come I don't get a call too? And thirdly he doesn't show up because he had a hangover. This means he drank alcohol knowing he had work in the morning and a meeting with someone he wants to hire. He's not painting a solid and responsible picture of himself. I know he's excited about this project and has seemed pretty serious about really making this project a reality but there is now some question of whether he is the most responsible. I had been debating about whether I wanted drop finding a new job all together and just rely on this film job. I am now thinking that that would be a mistake. As the saying goes, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket."

I knew that this new possible job seemed too good to be true but I was so excited about it that I ignored that little vibration of uncertainty. If there is one thing I learned it's NEVER ignore that feeling you have because you probably have good reason to be feeling uncertainty.

I'm not saying that I'm chucking this job opportunity out the window. I'm still very much considering it as a possible job but I know now not to solely rely on it to bring home the bacon.

Ready Set Film!

This is a new project I have decided to undertake as part of a school paper that is due in a few months. There aren't many twenty year olds who know what they want to pursue in life and I can't say that there are too many women who know that they want to be a filmmaker at my age as well. I'm not saying that there aren't twenty year old women who want to be filmmakers. I'm sure there are many of us in this world, however I have a hunch that we are in the minority. 

My name is Regan and I have decided to explore my life in relationship to filming and starting my own business. I am going to undertake three films with the course of the next few months. I have been offered to   film and edit a short reality TV show. I just found this out today and so the excitement is still very fresh in my being. I can barely sit still just writing about it. The next project is a short narrative about a neighborhood zombie attack. A friend of mine is making this film and I will be helping him in any way and every way I can. The third and last project that I wish to take on is a short documentary about how and why zombies seem to have taken a new popularity in our culture today. 

I'm worried that I won't keep up with this project. I think it's safe to say that I'm a little bit of a procrastinator but I am very ready to quit this inconvenient habit. So I guess this not only a project about my filming and passion but a about kicking procrastination out of my life. 

This crazy, massive, and exciting venture begins! Get Ready Set Film!