Yes, we have film !

Yes, we have film. After five straight hours of shooting we have film in the can. FootMart (check) and wooded area (check). Please keep in mind that this is Texas and the high temp for yesterday was 105. We were doing pretty well at the Food Mart in the air conditioning but then we moved outside to shoot the gypsy scene and were promptly set upon by mosquitoes and chiggers. Our Line Producer Mark actually was taken down by a pesky critter that was the size of a small bird. Something long and green decided that Cam A's tripod was a tree (it was either a Walking Stick or a Preying Mantis). I think dehydration was the biggest enemy during those ninety minutes but good thing we had an ice chest with water to keep us on our feet. Lot's of lessons learned here. More to follow.


J. Allen

Dumpster Diving

I just got back from the Food Mart, well let me go back in time for you and give you the play by play. I wake up, I have three missed calls from Alicia, I call Alicia back and find out she lost her passport and in three hours her plane leaves back to England. With my hair sticking up in all directions and mind you I have not shaved in a week I throw on a pair of dirty shorts and t-shirt right out of the dirty clothes hamper and jump in the car and drive to the Food Mart. Keep this image in your head as it gets better. I hop out at the Food Mart and proceed to walk around the parking lot looking for the passport, I then go inside the Food Mart and decide to go through the ladies room trash, it is early morning and there is nobody in there so I help myself. After looking in the women's trash I look in the men's room trash, I then do a quick walk through of the store and head back home. Having doubt's I turn around and head back to the store again and decide to dump out the trash can in the ladies room floor to make sure the passport is not in it (only a penny was of value in there) then I put it all back, repeat the same thing for the men's room, the Chicken Express trashcan (I find the film props from yesterday in this one) and the outside trashcan. Nope nothing there, I even have the manager open his safe and look and see if by chance the passport was put in there (nope, nothing but money). On the way back home I get a call from Alicia, she found her passport under the car seat of her sister's car, how it got there I have no idea and neither did she. I know, I know, some of you will say I am a decent guy for doing all that and some of you will think that I am suppose to do it because I am the director and she was my actress, but once you dumpster dive for someone I think you get the friendship badge. (wink)

J. Allen

Nap VLog 01 - August 1, 2010

Thought I'd give video logging a shot, maybe it will help to keep everyone update on our activities with Dirt Nap.

Cheers!

Roll the film !!!

I just got back from meeting our latest actress 'Leila". That is her stage name and that is all I am going to share at this time. Due to time issues we will be shooting two segments on August 2nd, 2010. Our cast and crew is now fifteen people. Wow, who would have thought that fifteen people would be helping us. For those of my cast and crew who actually stop by and read this blog I offer my sincere thanks for agreeing to help make one of my dreams come true.

J. Allen

Good Things and Bad

First the good stuff. We have cast our Nosey Rosey (Shain Clark) and our Food Mart customer (Alicia Harper). We have also located and confirmed our Food Mart location and it is actually called a Food Mart which is kind of funny.

Now the bad news. I went to the golf course to double check everything and I find out the manager I had spoken with had up and quit. I was about to become very worried but then I spoke to another person and he was aware of the film project and agreed to let me have the same day and time to shoot. No worries then.

Latest News !!!
We will begin shooting on August 2nd at Food Mart. This was a necessary change as Alicia has to return to England before the actual August 14th date.


J. Allen

Open Auditions this Saturday !!!

Ok everyone, the last set of open auditions is this Saturday and are being held at the North Richland Hills Library, Texas, 11:30 to 4:30 and we are looking for our Nosey Rosey character (older female) and a Quicky Mart customer (anyone up to age 25 give or take). We start shooting in 24 days. The entire crew is ready to hit the streets and make Dirt Nap a reality.

Show up or tell a friend to show up and take a shot, you never know.

To answer one question I was asked, "Yes, this is not your average 20 minute short film." This project is being created with premium hardware, software and special fx. One person told me that I did not need to use good equipment for a short and my answer was, "Who said I was only doing one project." With that said, there is a second project in the future and it very different from this one. I will close this blog entry by borrowing a saying.
"Like a fine wine, I only get better with age."

J. Allen

Wall of Honor

After sitting on the floor for several hours organizing the shooting days, my back began to feel like it had an iron bar in it. Then I noticed a big blank wall in my house and POOF!
So here is the picture of the days that we will shoot. Before I began to plan the days I had to take into consideration that 1)People have real jobs on Monday to go to so we can't work too late on Sunday night 2)We are trying to not keep moving the gear across town 3)Use the actors while the sun is in the sky 4)Special FX guy is only available on one day. So with all this in mind I created my battleplan.




Jallen