Well, it's been a while since we've posted here - but we've been hard at work on our short film Family Business. Here is the opening title sequence, just released! Check it out and let us know what you think.

http://vimeo.com/radfx/fambiztitles

"Film"

For those of you who follow the world of the cinema, you probably know that movies have traditionally been recorded on film, and in more recent years, video, using digital means.

Generally speaking, film is shot at 24 frames per second and video is captured at 30 frames per second. You have probably also noticed there is a difference in how the two mediums look - film "looks like a movie", and video looks like a TV show (again this is generally speaking - there are many differences that create the film look vs the tv look).

So the thing I don't understand, is that there seems to be a growing trend on newer TVs and Blu-Ray players to take movies and try to make them look like TV. They have various "enhancement" options to reduce motion blur. For any of you who have worked with video as independent film/movie-makers, you've probably wanted to make that video look as though it was shot on film.

So here's my question: why are the electronics manufacturers trying to undo what we spend so much time trying to do in order to create the traditional film look?

Do YOU like these motion blur reduction features? Or does just make your favorite movies look weird?

30 second Dirt Nap trailer

So we created a 30 second trailer for our short film Dirt Nap. Take a look, leave a comment, let us know what you think.

http://youtu.be/e95A2R8esd0

Update

Just a bit of an update here. We're working hard on completing the project, and are into the sound - sound is so very important to a film. So sound effects, music, dialogue, score. Lots of fun and lots of work! =)

At some point in the near future we'll post up some clips so you can see and hear.

Finally !!!

Well everyone, it took a long time but the end is so close I could hit it with a bat. The end credits are being put together, the final color is being added and the sound fx are being added one, by one, by one. January 31st, 2011 is our deadline and we will be D O N E. What this means is that if you kinda want to get your name in the credits for a donation NOW is the time to donate. Don't wait, go ahead and send something in and I will see if I can gather up some merch to send you. I will post more soon but I am at the mercy of the editor himself. Until then I will just have to keep myself busy with Family Business. Did I say that out loud?

J. Allen

Finally !!!

Yesterday we completed the final Dirt Nap pickup shots. We worked for almost eleven hours and visited five locations over the course of the day. Yes, we even visited the famous "PLANET BURRITO." The whole film is in the can and any corrections we needed to make were made. There was one unexpected fatality; a camera lens cap was left on the roof of a truck which then fell off and was subsequently run over for two hours by traffic. I am actually surprised that after days and days of moving gear only one thing was damaged, go figure. We are mere days from finishing this project and then what can I say, "On to the next one." I am still deep in the 'budget hole' and would welcome any and all donations from anyone willing. I am sitting on a small surplus of Dirt Nap Caps and Dirt Nap T-shirts. Any donation made will get something till the supplies run out. Don't miss out, this stuff may be priceless one day and then you can say "I knew him when..."



J. Allen

Rad FX motion logo for Dirt Nap.

Just so you can see - wanted to do a simple motion logo for the opening of Dirt Nap.

New Work and Old Friends

Ok, I completed shooting even more footage for Dirt Nap. A little 'Steel Table' scene will be sneaking into the film. After all, what good is a kitchen scene without a stainless steel table. It was quick but not painless and I did run into two old friends that I had not seen in a while. They both informed me that if I did not at least give them an honorable mention that they would drag me through the mud so here they both are, enjoy.

J. Allen

And the beat goes on, the beat goes on ...

Two more hours of footage in the can. How should I say "Very Different" being in a Food Stop shooting the soda machine scene, ice and the cashier greeting Mike as he enters the store. You see I was there shooting this stuff from 11-1PM. Only five people walked in and I had the complete run of the store. For anyone trying their hand with lights or working under fluorescent lights and trying to light a person so they don't look like Undead, I came up with an easy memory jolt for myself. Two huge lights with diffusers at four feet, four huge lights at eight feet and sixteen lights at thirty two feet. Oh, and when you are not a coffee drinker like me and have to opportunity to drink free cappuccino while on set at mid-night, DON'T DO IT!
I couldn't get to sleep till after three a.m. and now I feel like an old shoe. However, the more devious side of myself came out when one lady walked in and asked what we where filming and I replied, "Shooting an episode of Cheaters, are you interested?" To which she replied, "No" and walked out rather quickly. Being bad feels so good.

J. Allen

Back to the future

What my humble partner is trying to say here is that nothing could ever go wrong and we are working on an Oscar winning film! LOL! Ok, well it may be our first film, and it may or may not be "a hit", but it will be successful in the knowledge we gained, the people we met, and the fun we had doing it. And of course we hope it entertains you and makes you laugh and cry and scream, and allows us to make more films.

Happy Halloween and back to future!

-Arlo

P.S. This year is the 25th anniversary of Back To The Future - one of my all time favorite movies!

Almost Halloween

Not much going on here in Dirt Nap haven. We are still waiting for our actors hair to grow back out so we can shoot the last few minutes of footage. While I am waiting, Arlo is busy editing all the exisiting footage and so far we are at twelve minutes of playable film. Not bad considering I was afraid it would come up short. I am told that Arlo is also putting together the gag real and the beind the scenes section which makes me wonder. I am not really sure if I want to see myself trying to direct for my first time. With my luck there will be a shot of me pointing in two different directions at once yelling, "Go that way!." It's all good fun though. To help get this film put to bed I am doing some fill shots on my own in an attempt to get a finished product to show people. Yeah, I know there are teenagers who put up a new YouTube video every week where some kid gets hit with a tennis ball and falls to the ground in pain, but I am artist!!! Now if only I can get that documentary gig in Canada, I wonder ???

J. Allen

Birth x4

It has been a while since I wrote a little something in here. I have been waiting for Arlo and Chad (the star) to have time to finish the Dirt Nap project. With nothing but time on my hands I cleaned out the garage. I was surprised when I found two small white eggs under the wood next to where I park my car. I also found two more small white eggs where the garage door meets the foundation. I grabbed a jar from the pantry, put some dry grass in it and placed the four eggs inside then I waited. A week goes by and nothing. Well on Monday the first two baby lizards hatched. Then today the second pair hatched. So I took some pictures, tried to film the little ones then released them into the garden. I never would have thought I was a lizard wrangler. Here is a picture of the first one born. The other three looked identical to this little one too.

J. Allen

Flash Flood !!!

Today I paddled from Fort Worth to Dallas and it took me about 2.5 hours to do so. I heard on the radio that Texas had received a good 5-6 inches of rain and the ground was soft. Ok, well that makes sense as water is wet and dirt mixed with water makes mud. It does not take a genius to know this but apparently the weathermen think we are idiots. These same weathermen go on to explain how telephone poles and electrical poles are falling over due to the ground being so saturated. Alright, enough; I do not for one second believe that a telephone pole is buried so shallow as to just fall over if the first six inches of dirt get wet. All summer long these same weathermen complain that we need a good long wet rain to really penetrate the ground, yada, yada, yada. Now if these alleged poles are really buried shallow enough to just fall over when wet then it is high time to start firing some useless workers who cut corners when possible.

Before I forget, Arlo edited the first two minutes of Dirt Nap and it looks pretty good so far. I am still on the fence as to how long the finished film will actually be but it will be over ten minutes for sure. I am hoping for 15-20 minutes. We will know more when we film our missing segment.

J. Allen

Score one for Dirt Nap!

We have a composer who is working with us to score the film: http://mariolanderos.com - take a look.

We're going through the creative process to get an idea of what the right flavor of music should be. I'm still working on the rough cut of the film, but once it's locked for the final cut we'll really get moving.

Clipping Along

Arlo has been busy throwing some rough cuts together. I still can't decide if we will have enough footage to hit ten, fifteen or even twenty minutes but time will tell. On the audio front we have located a person who seems willing to produce an actual score for Dirt Nap. I am very curious as to how this will turn out. The direction we had been trying up to now was contacting the owners of certain songs and asking about using them in this non-profit film. So far each person or business has wanted thousands of dollars to use the song with the crazy limitation of Texas only, twelve months, no internet and only one film festival. I don't agree so I simply won't do business with them.

J. Allen

Edit, cut, splice, review

There is lots of editing to do and many sound fx to gather to get the film complete. We still have to shoot a missing scene that was skipped the first day but it is a small car scene and should not be difficult to add in later. I have a small raw trailer posted at http://www.zombiesquadron.com/downloads.html so feel free to download it and give it a watch. Yes, I do know the trailer is vague and does not give away any secrets but that is how I plan on getting each of you to watch the entire polished film. On a side note, I was asked a couple of days ago what was the hardest part of the film. That is an easy question, the heat. At one point during the second weekend I think it reached 104 with 110 heat index. Next time I think I will have an air conditioned trailer follow us around (wink).

More to follow.


J. Allen

What's a wrap ?

Having just woke up from a nap I realized that shooting the film is over. Well it was actually over as of Sunday at eight pm. There are a few scenes to film once more and a couple of scenes that we just did not have time for but the film is mostly complete. Sound and editing are next up and much needed rest for our tired bodies and aching bones and I mean that is the most literal sense. I learned quite a bit about making a film and I would not have the slightest hesitation in sitting on a panel talking to new directors about to take the plunge for the first time. Heck, I wish I knew someone like myself who could have pointed out a few things but would I really have listened? The real trailer is being made right now and we will have it up very soon, the footage you will see is right out of the film and I hope you enjoy it.

J. Allen

Round 2 (ding, ding)

We are geared up for round two and see some holes we need to fill and a few pickup shots that will need to be addressed but otherwise we are doing well for our first film. This weekend should be easier as there is no special fx work needing to be done so we won't sit around waiting for four hours. Plus, we shot a few extra scenes as time allowed to give us some breathing room for this weekend. For those of you who really read this blog and actually keep up with the story so far, this weekend will have some 'fun' built into it. You will all just have to wait and see.


Later

J. Allen

Half Down and Half to Go

Fifty percent of the film is in the can. So far I really like the morning light that we have been working with as it adds a softness to the overall effect of the film. Now jump to the end of a two day shooting spree where we were up for 24 hours. Strange things begin to happen to your body, feet burning with every step, eyes are worn out, zero energy and spines feel like a solid rod of steel. I am just now getting back to normal. It is hard on the crew as well as the actors but every single minute I was learning something. I have read too many stories, and heard first hand accounts of horrible film projects where people are abused by the directors. I am constantly worried about the time table and having to push hard enough to get through it all but at the same time I was really worried for our main character Mike (Chad) as he went through some tough scenes. From minute to minute I felt like a ping pong ball of emotions and sure there is ton of stress but this is the very first time in my life that there is no manager, supervisor or VP giving me the orders. It is a hard line to walk when you wake up one morning and know that there is a plan connected to a timeline connected to people connected to an end goal. Mastering the control or use or the ability to balance all of that in my mind is what a director ultimately needs to understand. I'll give all I have to get this project finished as that is the least I can do for all the people who are right there beside me. Side Note: To my wife, my crew, my actors and all the fans. Should you see me stressed out or about to collapse the magic word is "muskrat", just blurt it out when you think I need it, I will know exactly what it means.

J. Allen

Production weekend photos...

We just finished our first major week of production - whew!

Check it out on our FaceBook page at http://www.facebook.com/radfx