Train Kept a Rollin’…

Just an update from the Set of “The Brazilian Affair.” It’s been a couple of really productive shooting days. We resolved an actor issue prior to the shoot beginning on the following Saturday and have got 3 out of the 4 shooting days completed. Our final day of shooting will be Saturday, November 22nd at the other location in El Cajon. We started up on Saturday for our 2nd day and it was a pretty busy day; we have been shooting approximately 3 pages a day which seems like it’s a bit of a slow pace. However, with setting up the shot, lighting, sound, it starts to eat up the time, but it’s absolutely critical.

Our DP has all the tools he needs and has been masterful in his photography. We’ve got some spectacular shots and I can’t wait to get to them in Post. Mostly I’m running around the “Compound” where we were shooting at as it’s a pretty big spread. I’m either getting Actors to Makeup or taking them from Makeup to the Set. Since they gave me a Walkie Talkie I’m pretty much guiding the Cast/Crew as they arrive. I’m also handling Craft Services as well so making the trips into town for food was just part of the job. I’m really good at stretching our money and we had some great meals. Usually I’d take someone along to help and keep me company as it’s about a hour round trip. Picked up sandwiches from a Deli in Lakeside for lunch and NY Giant Pizza for Dinner. The happiness and well being of my Cast & Crew is paramount to me. A happy crew is a productive crew.

The hosts have been just the best you can imagine. They’ve nicknamed the place “Olivers’ Last Resort” which is so apropos and it’s just a filmmakers Paradise. The views of the hills and Lake Vincente are spectacular, there’s a putting green, driving range, Helipad, Pool/Jacuzzi and all the accoutrements that come with a house like this. We were given pretty much free reign to do what we needed utilizing the available amenities and taking over the garage as our base of operations. We shot by the Pool, in the House, we even got to use the Master Bedroom for the Makeup Artists area. It’s such an amazing place with the most wonderful and fun hosts. But we’re done shooting at this location. Leaving was bittersweet, we loved it there but we’re sad that it’s over.

The shoot overall was great on Sunday as well. We had some of the closing scenes and there was a lot of Blood to add to the actor but it worked great. I was exhausted by the time I got home on Sunday night at 10pm and had to get up for my day job at 5am. Even though it’s a bit grueling for me, it’s worth as I’m so happy that the shoot has been just flawless. It’s amazing that we haven’t had any major difficulties, technical or otherwise. We’ve had a couple of miscommunications but other than that, it’s been just bliss to film this. There’s just been so many coincidences that it can’t be all chance. How could some many things go right? I kept expecting it to rain or that we have something get broke. But the Cast/Crew have been amazing. The DP and I were talking about how we’ve pushed ourselves on this project. Originally it was supposed to be an easy screenplay and instead we ended up with a 19 page epic. We’ve gone way past where I thought we would be and by testing ourselves and our limits, we are seeing what we can accomplish which has been tremendously rewarding and a little terrifying all in the same moment.

There’s been these serendipitous moments that have become pretty much the norm. We had a minor crisis that involved one of our actors and due to some restrictions that were placed on us by a certain Guild (you know who you are…) we had to replace the actor. What they were telling us would have effectively killed our film and for us to have to abide by their restrictions would have been suicide both financially and artistically. I told the Cast & Crew that we agonized over the decision for several days but in the end it was a choice that we made and stand by. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or the one. So with the advent of Social Media and with me becoming more familiar with how to use it, the replacement process was pretty simple and effective. Within 72 hours we had found our replacement. He did a bang up job, fit right in with us in “The Wild Bunch” and gave us some of the more humorous moments in the film.

We have one more day of shooting this Saturday from 3pm till midnight and then the principal photography is done. We’re hoping to have the editing done by the end of January and screen it at the Wrap Party on Saturday January 24th if all goes well. Speaking of editing, I’m doing all of the normal editor duties as well as the Visual Effects/CG, etc. It’s not really my forte when it comes to color correction and we want to farm this part of it out. So, we are going to need a Colorist or Color Correction specialist.

I jokingly refer to this post with a line from a song that was originally done by Tiny Bradshaw as there are newer renditions of it from the Yardbirds and Aerosmith that were done. But I think this project is like a Tank that keeps on rolling. It’s just unstoppable. Can you believe it? 😉

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About casualtyfilms

Author, lecturer, philanthropist, bum, occasional hero and filmmaker extraordinaire.

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posted on November 18, 2014
by casualtyfilms
filed under Uncategorized