What luck we've had thus far with the filming of Sarah and the Sock Puppet.
We finished filming on Monday and Tuesday and it all went pretty smooth. Yes, it's amazing. And we got some really great stuff. Doubly amazing.
All the cast and crew (14 in all) met at the Director CJ's apartment and we all carpooled out to the location together. When we got to our beach, which was just a few miles past Malibu, we unloaded and set up base camp and started filming. We were a little worried about the weather, because we needed a sunny day in order to film some scenes with shadows in them, but those worries were subdued because we had a hot and sunny day.
Actually, it ended up being a VERY hot and sunny day. We probably went through 6 or 7 palates of water and some crazy amount of sun screen. But despite the harsh conditions (not exactly easy filming on a beach...) we moved along fairly quickly and got pretty much all the shots we needed that day. All the actors were awesome and knocked out each shot with ease. We actually finished early. Success!
For day 2, we carpooled out again and began shooting. This day was a little more difficult because we began filming some of the Sock Puppet scenes. It took a little longer to set up each scene but we wanted to make sure that everything worked and made sense. But it wasn't quite as hot as the first day and everyone worked together to make each scene great. The only problem is we could only have the actors for 12 hours according to their SAG rules, and with the slower moving production, I was a little worried that we wouldn't get everything done that we needed for that day. But, with time coming down to the wire, we got the last scene in and finished the day getting everything within the 12 hour mark.
So now we have two more days of filming left before we take it to editing. These last two days involve a lot of puppet scenes and may be a bit of a challenge, but we should be able to get it all taken care.
It's pretty exciting to be moving along with this project. It is definitely happening and it is going to be great. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Almost Sarah shoot time
It’s getting close to “go time” for Sarah and the Sock Puppet. Our shooting days are next Monday and Tuesday. It’s been a lot of planning to get to this point and we’re all pretty excited to make it happen.
But I’ll tell you it hasn’t been easy. Reserving the beach that we want to film on, or rather the one we settled on, has been quite an ordeal. And it’s compounded by the fact that the park ranger, who is in charge of the state beaches, is super hard to get a hold of. You have to leave him a voicemail and hope that he will return the call. Then when he does call you he wants to get off the phone as soon as possible. Then we were almost late to get the money to the California Film Commission to get our permit. But despite all odds, we have our location secure and will be filming legally, so hopefully no one will bother us.
And our director CJ has been working with the actors at rehearsals to learn their lines and character so we can hit the ground running when we get to set. I haven’t been working with the actors very much, but CJ says they are going to be awesome. There have been a few challenges with the actors too because of their conflicting schedules. They are doing this pro-bono so we can’t really ask them to rearrange their life for us, but it’s one of those situations where you can’t please everyone. But again, despite all odds, we are moving forward.
We have a meeting tonight to tie up loose ends and the weekend to get all the few last things together. There are still some things we have to settle up. And I have tried hard to think of everything that could go wrong and figure out a way to avoid it happening. If I’m lucky, nothing too serious will blow up in my face.
Monday, September 6, 2010
A Part of the Working Class
Yes, I guess I can officially say that I am one of the exclusive members of society that can say they have a full time job. Quite a feat, if I may say so myself, and it only took me 9 months.
So the job I got is as an Office Production Assistant at a company called Generate. They are formerly a management company, with clients that are mostly stand up comedians, but they also own a production company and that is where I work.
The way I got this job was through a friend that works for the management side of Generate (never know when or how a connection will help). About a month ago they needed an extra hand, so she recommended me and I worked for them for a couple of days. Then they called me and said they wanted me to come in on a regular basis (ie: Full Time) and I started last week.
It's not the most "sexy" job in the Entertainment Industry, but at least it's a step in the right direction. I am basically the low man on the totem pole and do all the stuff that no one else wants to or has time to do around the office. So any time we need to buy something or pick something up I go out on a run. This makes up most of what I do, buying various office supplies and random things that we need at that moment. It's not too bad, at least I get to be out and about for a lot of the day. But there are also other duties, such as making sure the dishes are clean in our kitchen and taking out the trash every night, not the most exciting stuff in the world. However, I do get to put the equipment together for the shoot days and I have been doing some "reconciling of petty cash" where I account for all the money we have spent. So the job is a little bit of doing stuff that is no fun and I don't really learn anything with a little bit of doing cool stuff where I learn about putting a production together.
I've only worked there one week, but I feel like I fit in pretty well. It is nice to have a full time job and it will be nice to have a steady pay check. Plus the people I work with are pretty cool. I am only going to consider this a temporary full time job, as I don't see myself staying here forever. It's just the next step.
So the job I got is as an Office Production Assistant at a company called Generate. They are formerly a management company, with clients that are mostly stand up comedians, but they also own a production company and that is where I work.
The way I got this job was through a friend that works for the management side of Generate (never know when or how a connection will help). About a month ago they needed an extra hand, so she recommended me and I worked for them for a couple of days. Then they called me and said they wanted me to come in on a regular basis (ie: Full Time) and I started last week.
It's not the most "sexy" job in the Entertainment Industry, but at least it's a step in the right direction. I am basically the low man on the totem pole and do all the stuff that no one else wants to or has time to do around the office. So any time we need to buy something or pick something up I go out on a run. This makes up most of what I do, buying various office supplies and random things that we need at that moment. It's not too bad, at least I get to be out and about for a lot of the day. But there are also other duties, such as making sure the dishes are clean in our kitchen and taking out the trash every night, not the most exciting stuff in the world. However, I do get to put the equipment together for the shoot days and I have been doing some "reconciling of petty cash" where I account for all the money we have spent. So the job is a little bit of doing stuff that is no fun and I don't really learn anything with a little bit of doing cool stuff where I learn about putting a production together.
I've only worked there one week, but I feel like I fit in pretty well. It is nice to have a full time job and it will be nice to have a steady pay check. Plus the people I work with are pretty cool. I am only going to consider this a temporary full time job, as I don't see myself staying here forever. It's just the next step.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
When it rains, it pours
I guess it's kinda funny the way things work out. For the past month or so I have been in search of work, looking high and low for an opportunity. I kept busy doing this and that, but it was nothing that would be able to keep me here in LA for any extended amount of time. I guess I was sort of biding my time till something worked out.
Well, that day has come.
Last Friday, one of the several Temp agencies that I applied to called me back. I am already with an agency called Apple One, but I'm not sure they'll be able to do much for me. They don't really focus on the entertainment industry, so I am just kinda part of their system. But this other temp agency is called Friedman Personnel and they are one of the better known agencies in the entertainment industry. They send people out to work temporarily at a lot of major studios and production companies. So I was pretty excited to hear they wanted me to come in for an interview. But I was about to be more excited for the phone call that I got a couple hours later.
It was from this company called Generate, whom I had worked for a couple of days not too long ago. Well, they remembered me and decided they wanted me to come in on a more regular basis. Basically full time. So I have a full time job now. Sweet! I'll fill you in more about it later.
The only kinda crummy thing is the timing for the temp agency and this full time gig was on the same day. Both are really good opportunities. And I can only do one. Lame.
Actually, it turns out to not be so lame. I went in for my interview with Friedman and had full disclosure with them. I told them the situation, that I basically did not want to give up my new full time job, but still wanted to be on board with them. I couldn't let either opportunity pass, especially since it had been so long since something good had come along, let alone two good things. So what they decided was that I would not be sent out as a "temp" but as someone who was looking for permanent work. This way, if someone comes to them asking for someone to fill a position for full time, they will get my resume. If they decided that they simply can't go on with out me working for them, I can put in my two weeks at Generate and move on to something better. So now I have a chance to potentially get an awesome job from them while continuing to work at Generate.
But I'm not going to hold my breath. If they find something for me, great, but for the time being I am more than happy to be with Generate. It will be a steady pay check and am learning a lot every time I go in. And right now, that works for me.
Well, that day has come.
Last Friday, one of the several Temp agencies that I applied to called me back. I am already with an agency called Apple One, but I'm not sure they'll be able to do much for me. They don't really focus on the entertainment industry, so I am just kinda part of their system. But this other temp agency is called Friedman Personnel and they are one of the better known agencies in the entertainment industry. They send people out to work temporarily at a lot of major studios and production companies. So I was pretty excited to hear they wanted me to come in for an interview. But I was about to be more excited for the phone call that I got a couple hours later.
It was from this company called Generate, whom I had worked for a couple of days not too long ago. Well, they remembered me and decided they wanted me to come in on a more regular basis. Basically full time. So I have a full time job now. Sweet! I'll fill you in more about it later.
The only kinda crummy thing is the timing for the temp agency and this full time gig was on the same day. Both are really good opportunities. And I can only do one. Lame.
Actually, it turns out to not be so lame. I went in for my interview with Friedman and had full disclosure with them. I told them the situation, that I basically did not want to give up my new full time job, but still wanted to be on board with them. I couldn't let either opportunity pass, especially since it had been so long since something good had come along, let alone two good things. So what they decided was that I would not be sent out as a "temp" but as someone who was looking for permanent work. This way, if someone comes to them asking for someone to fill a position for full time, they will get my resume. If they decided that they simply can't go on with out me working for them, I can put in my two weeks at Generate and move on to something better. So now I have a chance to potentially get an awesome job from them while continuing to work at Generate.
But I'm not going to hold my breath. If they find something for me, great, but for the time being I am more than happy to be with Generate. It will be a steady pay check and am learning a lot every time I go in. And right now, that works for me.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Sarah and the Sock Puppet
So, I though I would give a little update on the short film I am helping make happen.
It is called Sarah and the Sock Puppet. I won't give away too much about it, but I will tell you it is about a girl (Sarah, in case you couldn't guess) who is at the beach with some friends and there is a Sock Puppet involved (in case you couldn't guess that either). And that's only the set up. This film involves some pretty amazing things. Magical things. Things that will make you say "ooh" and "aww" and "huh?". Things that will make you.... oh, I guess you'll just have to wait for us to finish to see what happens.
Is that good marketing? Do you really want to see it now?
No?
Are you sure??
We have already made some pretty good progress. We have held the auditions for the main supporting characters and made our decisions on who will play those parts. Now we just need to do the call backs for the "Sarah" actors and pick the one we like best. We are using SAG actors, so they have all been really good.
Also, we are working on securing a location. It has been a difficult process, because we need to get a permit to make sure that we don't get shut down in the middle of filming. The only problem is permits can be kind of expensive, especially on the kind of budget we have. So, we are looking into the best, most cost efficient options. The story takes place on a beach and one of the better options we have found is using a State Beach. There is no fee to apply for a permit and all you need to pay for is a Film Monitor, to watch over us, and production insurance. Production Insurance. Kinda a pain but definitely necessary.
Also, the Director and the Director of Photography have been meeting together to work on the story boards and plan the shots we will need. This is important for us because we want to film everything in two days and there is kind of a lot to film, so we need to have a plan and be ready to execute it when we get out there. Efficiency is the name of the game.
And that is basically where we stand. The plan right now is to film in late September, although there is no definite time set. It is pretty exciting to see everything come together. We are trying our hardest to make this film the best we can.
Once it's finished we'll send it to film festivals and try to get some recognition and legitimacy. Gotta show the world how awesome we are. I mean, it's about time someone knew.
It is called Sarah and the Sock Puppet. I won't give away too much about it, but I will tell you it is about a girl (Sarah, in case you couldn't guess) who is at the beach with some friends and there is a Sock Puppet involved (in case you couldn't guess that either). And that's only the set up. This film involves some pretty amazing things. Magical things. Things that will make you say "ooh" and "aww" and "huh?". Things that will make you.... oh, I guess you'll just have to wait for us to finish to see what happens.
Is that good marketing? Do you really want to see it now?
No?
Are you sure??
We have already made some pretty good progress. We have held the auditions for the main supporting characters and made our decisions on who will play those parts. Now we just need to do the call backs for the "Sarah" actors and pick the one we like best. We are using SAG actors, so they have all been really good.
Also, we are working on securing a location. It has been a difficult process, because we need to get a permit to make sure that we don't get shut down in the middle of filming. The only problem is permits can be kind of expensive, especially on the kind of budget we have. So, we are looking into the best, most cost efficient options. The story takes place on a beach and one of the better options we have found is using a State Beach. There is no fee to apply for a permit and all you need to pay for is a Film Monitor, to watch over us, and production insurance. Production Insurance. Kinda a pain but definitely necessary.
Also, the Director and the Director of Photography have been meeting together to work on the story boards and plan the shots we will need. This is important for us because we want to film everything in two days and there is kind of a lot to film, so we need to have a plan and be ready to execute it when we get out there. Efficiency is the name of the game.
And that is basically where we stand. The plan right now is to film in late September, although there is no definite time set. It is pretty exciting to see everything come together. We are trying our hardest to make this film the best we can.
Once it's finished we'll send it to film festivals and try to get some recognition and legitimacy. Gotta show the world how awesome we are. I mean, it's about time someone knew.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The latest
There is really no reason that I shouldn't be writing more in this blog. I mean, what else am I doing?
Well, actually, a few things. I am trying to keep as productive.
A big step I took to trying to find work is signing up with a temp agency, AppleOne. The company was recommended by to me by several people so I decided to give it a go. Now that I am with them, I just have to start calling in and seeing if there is any work available.
I also started working on my typing. I know may sound kinda dumb and trivial, but having an accurate, high typing speed is pretty important. Especially if you want to be an assistant or a secretary. You have to be able to keep up with the quick paced boss.
I have also been doing a good amount of reading. Trying to continue my education on my terms. The book I just finished is called "Good in a Room" by Stephanie Palmer. It is about how to deal with high pressure situations, among other things. It's pretty good because she was a creative executive at MGM, so I can only guess that she knows her stuff.
Also, the Motion Picture CoOp just finished the first round of auditions for a short film I am helping produce. We are going to have call backs coming up soon. I'll keep you updated on the progress of this project. It's going to be pretty sweet.
And lastly I have been watching movies. But not just for entertainment purposes. I watch them with this book called "Save the Cat", that goes along with the movie and breaks down the story so you can understand why certain things are written certain ways. It's pretty amazing, definitely a formula to how a movie plays out.
So that's the latest. Not too much going on, but also keeping busy.
Well, actually, a few things. I am trying to keep as productive.
A big step I took to trying to find work is signing up with a temp agency, AppleOne. The company was recommended by to me by several people so I decided to give it a go. Now that I am with them, I just have to start calling in and seeing if there is any work available.
I also started working on my typing. I know may sound kinda dumb and trivial, but having an accurate, high typing speed is pretty important. Especially if you want to be an assistant or a secretary. You have to be able to keep up with the quick paced boss.
I have also been doing a good amount of reading. Trying to continue my education on my terms. The book I just finished is called "Good in a Room" by Stephanie Palmer. It is about how to deal with high pressure situations, among other things. It's pretty good because she was a creative executive at MGM, so I can only guess that she knows her stuff.
Also, the Motion Picture CoOp just finished the first round of auditions for a short film I am helping produce. We are going to have call backs coming up soon. I'll keep you updated on the progress of this project. It's going to be pretty sweet.
And lastly I have been watching movies. But not just for entertainment purposes. I watch them with this book called "Save the Cat", that goes along with the movie and breaks down the story so you can understand why certain things are written certain ways. It's pretty amazing, definitely a formula to how a movie plays out.
So that's the latest. Not too much going on, but also keeping busy.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
A new approach
It appears that I am going to have to rethink the approach to this blog.
For all my faithful readers, you may have noticed that some of my blog posts were deleted, and now we are back to May. That is because I blogged about the my work on Transformers 3, and the big wigs didn't like me doing that, so I had to delete the posts. I didn't give anything away about the production and was very careful about what I said in those posts, yet they didn't like them, so now they are gone.
So now I am going to have to figure out a way to keep an interesting, informed blog about what is going on in my career without upsetting the powers at be. Fear not my faithful, I will find something.
Just an update, I am back to out of work and trying to get something going. Back to hustling.
For all my faithful readers, you may have noticed that some of my blog posts were deleted, and now we are back to May. That is because I blogged about the my work on Transformers 3, and the big wigs didn't like me doing that, so I had to delete the posts. I didn't give anything away about the production and was very careful about what I said in those posts, yet they didn't like them, so now they are gone.
So now I am going to have to figure out a way to keep an interesting, informed blog about what is going on in my career without upsetting the powers at be. Fear not my faithful, I will find something.
Just an update, I am back to out of work and trying to get something going. Back to hustling.
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