As requested by the ladies...

Kasel...

I am an optimist.

The word came in last night from Ted that the footage from camera number one is certifiable CRAP! So, we are shooting this Saturday. I once heard that Herman Melvil lost the original transcript of Moby Dick and had to rewrite the entire thing...well we only lost 12 hours of shooting...we can do this.

Fortunately we only need Danielle, Debbie, Matt and (this goes without saying) Shawn, the RAIN WRANGLER! We are meeting there at 9:00. Ted will join us after his Capstone Presentation. Ted has almost completed the new trailer with the Karl Orf tune for broadcast through IPFW's public access channel and for the Faculty Alumni show at the University of Saint Francis.

Sally has been working on some more images...

...for the Darkness Aftermath graphic novel.

The Canon XL1 was created by Satan

I used to have a love/hate relationship with the CXL1 because it delivered great images when it worked. I blamed the mangled tapes on the abuse that the CXL1 had endured until this weekend. Now it is a HATE/HATE relationship. We had two cameras. One performed quite well. The other, OUR MAIN CAMERA, produced some less than acceptable footage. The tapes may be rescued as Ted and I noticed that the footage exhibited different 'smudges' when we watched them multiple times. He is going to try loading the tapes from a different camera...NOT A CANON POSXL1. Any way, the gang did great without me and I will post the Lana photos below. We may be filming next Saturday if Ted can not rescue the footage.

Last day of shooting...sorta

Today is the last day of official shooting. Ted and the team are at Hunter's Forest doing the last few scenes with Danielle, Matt, Debbie and Susie. I know Shawn will be sad as it is the last time he gets to hose everyone down, a task he too readily enjoyed. Matt has practically become one with the Canon XL and we may need to amputate to get the camera back. Ted is itching to edit...

I could go on...but I'm tired. I will post a blog later with special thank yous to everyone who has been there from the start.

So what did I mean by 'sorta'? Well I have two shots with Danielle to do. We'll finish those one evening this week, but it won't be with a full crew...

Seems odd...it's been fun. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Allen's last day of shooting...

Due to my schedule (and quite honestly the exhaustion I feel from the past several weeks) today was my last day shooting. It also was Luke's last day and Tarina's last day. It was a good day, but a sad one as everyone said good bye. I'm almost glad I won't be there tomorrow when Ted has to say good bye to the rest of the cast and crew.



One scene has Luke throwing stones to try to hit a target (a tree). We filmed it many different ways. This shot also has Matt topless which means we have to put his image on the DA Beefcake Calendar. Actually he was in partial costume as he didn't want to get the camera wet. Debbie helped out with the stone throwing as well.




Debbie...she went from three scenes to about twelve or more by the time tomorrow's shoot is done.


And this is what I looked like when I realized shooting had ended for me. (Actually my wife took the photo at my niece's birthday today...not really sure what I was thinking at the time...)

Happy Day...Sad day...

Saturday we welcome Debbie Ngo, Sam Stanly and (hopefully) Tara who I have yet to hear from...to the team...we also bid a sad farewell to Tarina as she ends her shooting around noon on Saturday.

Winding down...

Can't believe we are almost done shooting...


One thing I have learned on this shoot...when it comes time for a fight...guys are too polite and are too worried that they will hurt Danielle during a fight scene while girls will tackle her at the drop of a hat...



And here is a bit of odd news...this is a painting I did back in 04 and it is getting some exposure at the IPFW Faculty show...it is from the book I am trying to get published...the scale is 8 feet wide by 4.25 feet high...

Oh the irony...

Filming was canceled this week because I wasn't able to get prepped for the shoot. A few more costumes need to be made and a few more props...but I was painting houses all week long. And now we have perfect weather. It's supposed to rain until next weekend. SIGH! This is just so depressing.

SHOOTING UPDATE!!!

No shooting this weekend. We will shoot from 9-2 next Saturday and from 1:30-5 next Sunday. I will post the names of who we need later tonight or tomorrow.

For Megan and all of the stuff she had to go through for this film...

Megan had to endure two and a half hours of make up and then she had to use ICE COLD WATER to clean off...and her scene will only last about four minutes. She came to Hot Box Studio with her lines memorized and ready to ROCK. What a trooper.

Tonight's weather...

It's been so dry here...every day or so the weather idiots predict rain and we have...um...SUN SHINE! BLASTED SUNSHINE DAY IN AND DAY OUT! Now, finally tonight, it looks as if we might have some rain. It has been thundering and the lightning has been flashing about quite wildly, but no rain yet...soon, tho, soon...

Sally's stuff

Sally Scott is doing a graphic novel of Darkness Aftermath...here is one of her sketches of Lilly. I'm rather excited.

Today my 7 year old took some shots for us...

Brittany getting bloodied up for her final shot.



Brittany's last day. We have only two more days left to shoot.

Dan sent me a few more images...

Proof that Danielle is insane...she does this for free! And that water is FREEZING.



Two more images of Megan as Switch...

Two bits of info...

First off, Sally Scott (aka Sallel from the film) has agreed to do a Manga/comic book of the film. Check her blog here...but go into the archives to see some really cool stuff. I am hoping that she can have the project done in time for the premier and can score some serious cash on the sales of her comic book...

And the second bit of info...someone asked me the other day why we were showing so much of the film with photos and such on line. The reason is that this is a "college student based project". If this were my own private project there would be much more secrecy and I would be directing ALL of it, but as it is, it is a group ordeal and I want to share as much of it with those who are interested as possible.

Some cool images from Dan Scheerer

Here are a few images Dan sent...he said he has at least 45 more images he likes...can't wait.

Working on a new set of poster designs...

after Michael's comment...I couldn't resist. I need more fonts...

GOOD NEWS!

Ted just phoned in...the footage was salvageable. It looks like we'll be able to edit through the glitches and we only lost two shots.

Just trying some stuff out...

Working on Lilly's gun...

Lookin' good.

I've come up with a way to save the footage and Ted thinks it may be the playback on the machine. Whew!

Needed to do something to calm myself...

After the bad news about the footage (that may yet be saved), I needed to focus on something else...I ran through some more of Lana's photos...

Here is Gwen (Danielle) on long patrol of the village...







Tarina as Lilly getting into make up and having fun with the gun...




The best crew I have ever worked with!