Back from the beyond...

I have rested up and I thought I would not need to post anything more for a few days but I can't help myself. I have just burned through a ream of printer paper, I can barely walk through my computer room with all the film gear everywhere and I have two dead flamingos casually thrown in the corner. On the positive side of things the bug bites have almost healed. I am heading over to double check the film sets on Friday and drop of some of the gear so I won't kill my back. I have to stop and wonder if this is what Spielberg or Cameron or even Shyamalan have had to go through because if someone would have shown me the business plan on day one I would had a few things to say and a ton of questions to get answered. In all honesty I feel like I have been driven over by a truck. But it is almost game time and I intend to bring my A game.


J. Allen

Much Needed Break

After driving all around town and searching high and low for those last elusive movie props, I decided to take a small break, a breather. With just four days till the serious filming begins I feel a small beast trying to get out of his cage. Is it fear, nervousness, apprehension or just the sheer monumental size of this task I and my team are about to undertake? Yeah I know I have planned everything down to the last detail. I have tried to cover my bets but you never know what will come around the next corner. There is nothing left to buy, build or find. So with that said, there is only one thing left to say.

Lights,

Camera,

Action!!!



J. Allen

Props to the great 'Dirt Nap' project

Here is a sneak peak about what 'Dirt Nap' could possibly be about.

Don't forget to check the RAD FX Studios Facebook for recent on set pictures.

J. Allen

Edit, Edit, the camera hums so we just let it

Well it is a few days later and I now count over 50 bug bites on my legs. The first batch of footage was reviewed and it is 95% good. We have more than enough footage to work with and now we head on to the August 14th shoot date. The Texas temp is still sticking to around 105 but we won't be shooting in that heat any more. Nothing but mornings and evenings and mostly inside work from this point on.

J. Allen

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!