Filter

Great article on the state of news

2008-01-01T10:02:00.000-08:00

Here's an article that I ran across on Boing Boing about an insider's report on the state of news in this country. This details a lot of the reason behind why I made Filter, and what I feel is inherently wrong with the American news media.

http://www.technologyreview.com/printer_friendly_article.aspx?id=19845

Longbaugh showtimes

2007-03-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

The schedule of films has been posted and we're playing with Shorts 1. The showtimes are:

Friday, March 30th, 7:20pm - Laurelhurst Theater
Saturday, March 31st, 3:45pm - Living Room Theaters

Things are looking sketchy for us going up there as I've just started cutting another feature and we've still to finish up the Darfur piece. We shall see ...

Longbaugh accepts Filter

2007-02-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

Just received word that the Longbaugh Film Festival in Portland, Oregon, has scheduled Filter as part of the 2007 lineup. Longbaugh is not your mainstream festival and prides itself in programming real independent films "that live and breathe not because some executive thought it would make a lot of money over Memorial Day weekend, but because someone had something deep down inside of them that they had to express. And in the process of making that expression-of reaching into their soul-they manage to touch the souls of other people." ... cool!

If there is one thing I've always said about Filter is that it is not a traditional film. It is more of a participation in a discussion about society and media. And in making the film we tried to have a number of layers for people to enjoy from the base story to the specific comments laced in the graphics. Not everyone may agree or wish to participate or explore the film, but those who have certainly do enjoy it.

The schedule hasn't been announced yet, but the dates are March 29th - April 1st. Stacey, Ozlo and I will be driving up to visit friends in Portland and have a great time at the festival. See you there ...

In the meantime, the festival website is http://www.longbaugh.com

1st place ... Rogue Ale

2006-11-01T17:03:00.000-08:00

So it is indeed confirmed, I was trolling and came across the Barbary Coast Films website where they outlayed the winners of the Rogue Ale Short Film Festival. We took 1st place and are greatful for their consideration. Second place went to Edmund Heaven's The Organist and third to Brady Baltezore's The Country.

We also received a nice nod from Hilda Beltran who I ran across at BendFilm. Apparently she had run across someone who told her Filter was their favorite of the festival.

Rogue Ale update

2006-10-26T02:41:00.000-07:00

So back to SF and I came to find out that I believe we won the Rogue Ale Short Film Festival. I have limited reports (on the phone while I was in Bend) that we walked out on top that evening. I think it would only be appropriate to share the wealth with the cast and crew that worked so hard. So here's to drinking up our riches ...

BendFilm update

2006-10-26T01:28:00.000-07:00

So I've been busy in Bend, Oregon, enjoying the fine hospitality of the festival. They were truly gracious hosts and made sure the filmmakers had a great time. There was no pretense in the air and all of the filmmakers we're warm and chatty. Of course that may have been the free booze.

I was excited to learn that we received three extra screenings at the festival, including with the closing film. The Bend audience was exactly in line with the message of the film. At one screening, we received three rounds of applause and a hoot after all was said and done. I think they were ready for someone to put on the screen what has been on their minds.

I had a lot of fun with the cats I ran into on the plane heading into town: Todd Grossman (Men of Action), Drew Lindo (In the Details), Jesse Wheeler (Just), Bryan Nest (Til Death Do Us Part). And I can't forget to bust the balls of Mark Daviau (Searching For Mise en Place) for the wonderful job he did on the emerging technology panel. (He knows what I'm talking about.)

I tried my best to snap a few pics here and there and I've culled the best and tossed the rest. So here's a taste of BendFilm 2006.
BendFilm 2006 photos

MVFF opening

2006-10-07T18:39:00.000-07:00

Went to the opening night for Filter at the Mill Valley Film Festival and am very happy with our reception. The audience was quite responsive to the film and at times clamoring at the content ... excellent! Had a great talk with a number of the filmmakers afterwards at the meet and greet. It was nice to see the diversity of stories that brought forth the films at the festival.

We also got to dig Cinematographers Style which has the greatest collection of cinematographers telling their collective story. There was no example footage intermixed, but the interviews themselves were simply beautiful.

And ... BEER!

2006-10-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

The Rogue Ale Short Film Festival in San Francisco also has picked up Filter. It seemed like a fun festival that would be a great experience ... watching shorts and drinking beer. But ... it is on October 12th, the same day as the second screening of Mill Valley and the day I'm flying up to Bend, Oregon for their festival.

So, sadly, no beer for me that night ... at least at the Rogue Ale House. But please check it out. It's on the corner of Stockton and Union in North Beach and they have a great selection of handcrafted beers. Plus, since Filter's screening is at 9:45pm, you can go to both MVFF and the Rouge Ale House! (I know I would, and not just because I'm the director.) If you want to see the whole program (or get a seat) then the show starts at 8pm.

And off to Brazil ...

2006-10-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

Just received word that the 30th São Paulo International Film Festival has invited Filter to screen. The festival runs from October 20th to November 2nd in one of the world's largest cities. Especially a bonus for our grip Bruno Ewald who comes from just south of São Paulo.

Festival links -- Updated

2006-09-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here are the links to the Mill Valley and BendFilm festival pages:

Mill Valley - description of the selection of short films titled Truth Be Known.
Showtimes are Friday the 6th at 5pm at the Sequoia;
and again Thursday the 12th at 5pm at Rafael.

BendFilm - general festival page.
Filter is playing on Friday the 13th with The Slanted Screen at 3:30pm at the McMenamins #2;
and again on Saturday the 14th with The Damnedest, Finest Ruins at 10:30am at the Regal Cinemas.

The pages have good descriptions of the programs and links to buy tickets. The BendFilm links in to the general page. You'll have to navigate through to the Documentary section for the two films.

I've adjusted my schedule to make it to as many film events as possible. Unfortunately that means I have to miss the second MVFF screening to make my way to Bend. Bend is an all-weekend affair but I'm ducking out on the 15th to make it back home to Ozlo (the new baby).

Another festival selection

2006-09-09T02:13:00.000-07:00

The email just came in that Filter has been accepted to the BendFilm festival in Oregon. The festival runs from October 12th - 15th and they are super hot to have the filmmakers attend. Now I have to figure out how to get up there. I'll post the dates when they are released.

Plus, dates and times have been announced for Mill Valley. Filter will be screening Fri. Oct 6, 5:00PM at the CinéArts@Sequoia and Thu. Oct 12, 5:00PM at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center. Stacey, Omied and I are planning to go to the one on the 6th. I'll probably ride with Omied on the 12th.

Hope to see you at one or the other!

Fine Tuning Filter

2006-09-04T20:45:00.000-07:00

Stacey and I sat down and went over the film again and implemented some of the ideas we had lingering in the backs our our minds. Namely, breaking the format of the complete reporter segment and intercutting the reporters to form seemingly one report at the beginning. This more closely simulates the experience of watching TV and flipping through the channels.

I was initially reticent to implement such an idea as it broke the integrity of watching a complete report that was unmanipulated. But in some respects I understand that this was more important to me than to the integrity of the film. This was mitigated by my time manipulation of the security footage to highlight certain sections. I then felt the rhythm of the piece could lead into the intercut reporters.

Then end result is a film almost three minutes shorter with a pace that doesn't start and stop. It leads you deeper in and lets the message develop rather that being so explicit. I'll smooth out the rough spots and call it done.

Exciting news ...

2006-08-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

So I've been a little superstitious about posting this, but Filter has been accepted to the 29th Mill Valley Film Festival. I hate to post something before they put it up on their site, but I can't hold off any longer. I was real excited to hear the news as I thought Mill Valley would be an excellent venue for the film. I'm not sure when the screening will be but the festival runs from October 5th - 15th. I'll post a link to their page once they put up the official site.

Hurry up and wait

2006-07-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

So the film is done and the cast and crew are eager to receive their copies for their mantles (and their efforts). It was our desire to present a complete package with DVD splash screen, label and jacket. But unfortunately, our lead designer Stacey has gone into pre-term labor and currently sits in the hospital connected to various monitoring machines.

The good new is that we decided to go in at the first signs of something amiss. Everything seems to be staying put and we're holding out for a couple more weeks. The bad news is that she's probably going to be sitting there for a couple of weeks. Even when she comes home, she'll be under strict bed rest. Little Ozlo is doing well, naive to all of the watchful eyes, and treating her uterus like some sort of hamster ball.

Update on the film

2006-06-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

So the new name is sticking now and I feel like it was a good change. The first round of festival submissions have been sent out and now we shall begin the waiting game. We ended up tweaking the content just a little to tighten it up.

The pace of the overall piece is still probably a bit slower than most US films. But I am trying to be very conscious of the film's rhythm and not overly meddle. I think because of the nature of the medium, the audience will let the piece develop and not become too antsy. Reports from those who've seen it are that the pacing works very well and allows for the desired effect. It also won the audience award at a recent pre-screening. I'm hoping that this is a sign of good things to come.

Title change

2006-05-26T00:10:00.000-07:00

As I have gone through a couple of preliminary screenings, one thing has come up that will dramatically effect this blog, but not so much the film. We've decided to change the name of the film to "Filter" instead of "Point Of View."

I understand that means there will be a bit of confusion while people switch over, but I think it is for the best to make this change now before submitting to festivals.

Thanks for bearing with us ...

Big Screen

2006-05-16T01:11:00.000-07:00

In my rounds of test screening, I have the opportunity tomorrow to see the film in a theater on the big screen much the same as it would show in a festival. It's an excellent chance to get feedback and see how this camera plays on a large projected screen. Plus I'll be able to illicit a lot of responses to the film to help refine it.

I've also been busy rendering out the credits which turned out amazing. I'll post a QuickTime on here and Purebred soon so you can get an idea of the piece.

Credit Music

2006-05-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

I had a blast putting together the music to round out the ambiance to the convenience store. I wanted something with a little bit of flare, but not too over the top or intrusive. I then retooled it with some twang guitar that I stumbled across when I was previewing samples. I couldn't resist and ended up using this version in over the credits. Sorry that it doesn't have an ending, but I just ran the samples out long enough to cover the credits.

POV end credit music (mp3)

Test screening

2006-05-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

The cast and crew (and some friends) got together last night for a test screening of the project. We had a great time talking and catching up even though I overcooked the ribs a bit. Overall everyone reacted quite well to the film and really enjoyed some of the little details that helped to bring it together. It seemed like "tan in your sleep" was a big favorite. We have set up a few more screenings in the coming weeks so we can fine tune the final piece. In the meantime, festival submissions are beginning to be mailed out ... and the waiting game will begin.

Production Stills

2006-05-03T22:08:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post a link to some of the production stills Ron Koeberer clicked off during principal photography. You can see them in three sets »» set 01 : set 02 : set 03. I've also added these links to the sidebar so they are accessible anytime.

There are some nice shots from the different days, outside and inside and you can get a feel for the sprawl of equipment that we spread out in front of Miraloma Market.

TV Graphics

2006-05-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

We’ve been busy since the shoot cutting and finishing the film. We have picture lock, the sound mix has gone down and we’re doing the final touches on the graphics and credits. I know that this is a lot to cram into one posting, but I’ll break out some of the details in subsequent postings. I wanted to at least catch up with the process.

Right now, I wanted to share some of Stacey’s handiwork in putting the graphics packages together for the reporters. The level of composition, detail and movement becomes progressively sophisticated, in a compliment to the characters of the film. It also gives us a chance to highlight some of the ways that the news can breach levels of respect and decency.

I also think the credits turn out extremely well and will compete with the piece a little. And working in HD has been a dream. The resolution of the graphics makes everything so crisp. The HVX was perfect for this gig.

That's a wrap!

2006-04-21T02:01:00.000-07:00

I know I'm getting to this a day or so late, but it's been extremely busy since we've wrapped shooting. Day two went off without a hitch and we got out of the site ahead of schedule and home early. It seems everyone working and those just watching all had the same thing to say: it is all so organized and smooth. I believe that comes from the realistic schedule with great people to work the machine.

The nice thing about the second day schedule was that we left time to really nail down the visual shot of the store. I think there is plenty of room for the audience to apply their own history to the picture and add to the experience.

Now it's time to sit down and get busy. I have already roughed together the material and can see how the film will shape out. It's going to play out nicely. I need to polish up my news graphics skills and fill in the rest of the screen with horrid eye candy. Should be fun. A little music and sound and we can call it done. ... Except the credits ... we did a quick pass in front of the camera and I'll see if I can't pull out something interesting for the roll.

As I start to develop the graphics I'll try and give you a taste. But now it's back to the grindstone ... we're sponsoring a part of the San Francisco Short Film Festival by doing the back-end video production for the presentations. They're having a charity event this weekend and I'm busy encoding a number of short films.

Day one in the can

2006-04-18T15:10:00.000-07:00

A wonderful day one. Superb performances by all of the actors and the lighting and camera work looked great. We got some really good takes in the can and it will be a dream to edit this together. There's a nice difference between the lighting, composition, performances that will all gel together in post. I really commend the actors for having to deliver basically a soliloquy as there is no cutting off the angle. One to two pages of dialogue that have to be perfect ... not an easy task.

I put up the first picture to give an overall idea of the scene (plus I think the uniform and mic help tell the story). Then this body shot is a defining moment of what the film is trying to communicate. Below, Reggie Steele helps to round out the different aspects from which we were approaching the scene.

Now we get down to business on day two and bring the whole show together. Tonight is three shots, but the visuals are tremendously important to communicate some ambiguity to allow room for the audience to interpret it in different ways. The two main shots are covering the same action from unrelated angles. It provides us the perfect opportunity to rehearse while shooting and get the perfect take for the final. I’m looking forward to how the lighting and framing will look tonight.

Amos Wright Jr. - Sgt. Wittens

2006-04-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

amos wright jr. ( web ) - sgt. wittens - Raised in Sacramento, CA, Amos Wright Jr. has been acting professionally for the past two years. During this time, Amos has appeared in several independent films, commercials, and music videos. He recently finished work on the short film The Morning After in San Jose and The Final Showdown in Sacramento.

Leo Rodriguez - Victor Feliz, Store Clerk

2006-04-16T22:17:00.000-07:00

leo i. rodriguez ( web ) - victor feliz, store clerk - Leo makes his film debut in this topical project. Other Credits include performing in Galway, Ireland at the International Women's Playwright Festival; Cairo, Egypt with Golden Thread Theater Company for the International Festival for Expiramental Theater; Limmosol, Paphos and Nicosia, Cyprus for the 1st Annual Amathus Festival. Leo currently can be seen in MART's production of Terrance McNally's Corpus Christi and will be performing his original one-man show, Chosen in July.

Jacket mock up

2006-04-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a great example of how the little details make the big picture so much better. This is a network logo Stacey created to go on the parka worn by the character Michael Willis. Such fine detail is especially necessary in HD as we've learned from our previous experiences.

This same treatment will be applied to the microphones the local reporters will be holding. More importantly, it will correspond with the news graphics that will be accompanying the imagery of all the reporters. We’ve planned a nice progression of sophistication to the graphics to keep drawing in the audience.

Final script revisions

2006-04-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

I (finally) dropped in the reporter names and signoffs and made the final revisions to the script. The call sheets have gone out and we are ready to go. I've updated the script here for the final time.

Stacey has put her art department hat back on and is busy building the mic flags for the reporters. The graphics look great and should really see the shot. I’ll post some graphics later to give you a better idea.

Joe came up with a nice lighting diagram that will pull off the existing lights and add a nice touch to give them a more film look.

All of the actors gave great reads on their parts (which has made my job so much easier). I’m really happy with the level of talent that has come to the project.

Enough jibber jabber ... so let's off to the show.

Pre-production meeting

2006-04-14T00:47:00.000-07:00

Our main pre-production meeting went down and we are ready for the show. All the departments look good for shooting Monday and there are just a few tweaks to go over.

Myself, Joe, Leo, and James (Director, DP, Gaffer and Key Grip) went out to scout out the power and talk about specific lighting setups. I've always found a little bit of time going in saves a lot of time day off. Joe did a great job of specing out the overheads with the lighting setup. And at least this site visit wasn't as cold or as wet as previous nights.

While there, I met the owners of the shop tonight and they were quite charming. The store is a family owned business and the kids are working the counter throughout the day. The owner was very proud to show me how the building was used in a film 40 years ago.

John Cornwell - Reporter #5

2006-04-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

john cornwell ( web ) - mac freeman - John D. Cornwell is a full-time actor, with a variety of film, stage and voiceover experience. His most recent project was a leading role in the sold-out run of "Not Even a Mouse," premiering in San Francisco before moving to New York.

His character Mack is a well-known reporter, veteran on the scene but is gunning for his own show ... only if it's in primetime. You can catch his own personal leanings quite clearly in his reports.

Permits and Insurance

2006-04-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

We've partnered with Complex Corporation again for our production insurance. Best rates in town and great turnaround. They're enjoying great success with their latest Devil and Daniel Johnston.

I also went down to City Hall today and paid for our permit. We had to run through some extra steps because we're shooting in across the street from a residential block past the normal 10pm. It took some walking in the rain over a couple of days, but we were able to collect the necessary signatures.

The look ahead on the weather has us drying up before the shoot and I certainly hope so. I overheard someone talking today how their production is two weeks behind so far because of the rain. I'm not sure that's a luxury that we'd have.

Omied Far - Screenwriter

2006-04-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

Omied and I have known each other for a couple of years now. When I was not making time available to pen the script, I knew he would be a good fit for this project. His first draft was stunning and immediately raised the bar for the film.

Omied Far is a writer from San Francisco, where he is an original member of the sketch comedy troupe Tossing Alice as well as cast member of the theater troupe Primitive Screwheads and is a staff writer with the improv/comedy troupe The Last Laugh.

More progress

2006-04-11T02:27:00.000-07:00

We're moving closer to principal photography and are in the process of fine tuning the details. The script is being polished after rehearsals ... the overheads are being mapped out. And I'm finding opportunities here and there to put up bios of the cast and crew. I'll keep up the information flow, especially the bios.

On a side note ... it has been wonderful collaborating with the actors on developing the various characters. Each has brought a new dimension to the story, making it much richer than before. I am very thankful for their efforts.

Jennifer Dean - Reporter #3

2006-04-11T02:24:00.000-07:00

jennifer dean ( imdb ) - kara o'brien - Jennifer Dean has a B.A. in Theatre from UCLA and has done postgraduate studies at The Central School of Speech and Drama in London and Circle in the Square in New York. She has performed with various theatre companies in the Bay Area. She is a member of SAG and AFTRA and more information about her commercial and independent film work can be found at www.practicalmysticproductions.com/mov/jenniferdean_reel.mov and by viewing a recently completed trailer for a feature film called The ESP Affair by Murray Suid.

Mackenzie Firgens - Reporter #1

2006-04-07T16:22:00.000-07:00

mackenzie firgens ( web / imdb ) - charli stokes - Mackenzie Firgens made her feature debut starring as Harmony in the underground hit Groove, which was an Official Selection at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, and released by Sony Pictures Classics. Most recently Firgens originated the role of April in the film version of the Tony Award winning Broadway musical RENT, directed by Chris Columbus. As April, Firgens had the opportunity to create a new character for the classic musical, and shares the screen with Rosario Dawson, Taye Diggs, and Adam Pascal. Firgens starred in Broken Arrows with Lori Petty (Tank Girl), and Quality of Life, which won Best Youth Film at the Stockholm Intl '04 as well as the Special Mention Award at the Berlin Intl' 04. She also appeared in a leading role with Brittany Daniel (Joe Dirt) in The Hamiltons which won the Golden Vision Award at the Santa Barbara Intl' 06. Firgens has performed with the Tony Award winning San Francisco Mime Troupe and attended the Goodman School of Drama at DePaul University Theatre School.

Synopsis

2006-04-06T11:44:00.000-07:00

I figured it would be helpful if I told you a little of what the project was about. I began as a simple idea of how different people can interpret an event. Stacey and I brainstormed a scenario that would take advantage of the medium to allow a number of different stories to be concocted.

To then drive and color the story, I incorporated a number of journalists providing an ever increasing bias on the story. This satisfies a couple of requirements for me. It allows me to lead the audience's perceptions in a direction to then shatter that assumption. It also makes a direct comment on the sorry state of what passes for journalism in corporate-funded newsertainment.

The payoff is having the whole story communicated with the addition of the audio track from the event, capped off with splicing together the reporters words to tell the truth of the story.

Overall, I'm really excited at the level of quality that has come to this project in every facet and am egger to see the results.

Crew Locked Down

2006-04-06T01:27:00.000-07:00

We've put together an awesome crew for this project. A number of people have identified with the script and have agreed to help pull the project together. I'll try and spotlight some of the members in future posts. I'll also draft up the cast list which includes a number of talented people. We had the first table read today and worked through most of the reporters. Everyone came to the table with an interesting take on the characters and I could see how this is going to click.

Cast and Crew

2006-03-31T23:41:00.000-08:00

Omied, Stacey and I sat down today and hashed out our decisions on the cast. I've been getting in contact with some of the Actors we've picked and the response has been great. The key crew positions are starting to be filled in with Joe Rivera on as DP and Renato Hoyle in place as the 1st AD. I'll need to post a complete list later. Onward ...

Location locked

2006-03-29T00:46:00.000-08:00

Sweet. The location that seemed very nice and is close to us is going to work out very well. There are still papers to be signed and money to move around, but the dates and times are perfect. It even has a great parking lot to fill up with more shots of reporters and dumping grounds for gear. I'm happy we could nail this down with just under three weeks left until principal photography. Now back to casting ...

Locations

2006-03-27T00:58:00.000-08:00

We're investigating different locations for the market and may end up in our back yard. There is a great convenience store with a parking lot in the middle of San Francisco that's film friendly and perfect in many ways.

Casting session

2006-03-27T00:37:00.000-08:00

The first casting session has been conducted and I'm very pleased with the quality of the actors who read for the parts. Hopefully within the week I'll be able to make final decisions and put names to the characters.

The beginning

2006-03-27T00:17:00.000-08:00

The film is starting to come together. After an initial concept came to me while listing to a lecture, I worked with writer Omied Far to flesh it out. The idea is to make a comment on how the media can be irresponsible at times with their take on the truth. And how the audience should look deeper into what is said to find the truth.

Thanks for joining us on this journey.
Jason