Today is a fuzzy energy day. I can feel the inefficiency, the running-below-average feeling that makes me know where I sit in the day.
On the good side, I'm done with all the color correction and fixing and fiddling. Barring catastrophe, of course, but I think we're good there. And that means I can relax a bit, but only a little since there is other stuff that is screaming to be done.
The months before CONvergence/Fringe tend to be a busy, busy time.
It's also the same time as the 48 Hour Film Festival. Which is partly why it's not in my schedule, at least this year. And that whole stab-me-in-the-liver-with-a-fork thing.
I love the idea of the 48. I just don't love the exhaustion and the not sleeping. Were I actually going into it and had time to prepare beforehand (like sleeping), I'd probably be much more into it.
But I've also done a lot of shooting under time pressures. Hell, all of Horror Incorporated was done under ridiculous time pressures; we would usually shoot four episodes in two days, which averaged over 20 air minutes per episode-- which means we essentially shot a feature film every weekend for two seasons. We got really good at fast production stuff. It's far from my favorite mode of operation which actually provides time to compose and light a scene.
So for the challenge part of the 48-- I know I can do it. I think it's more the cameraderie and immediate involvement in the creativeness of the project that would draw me, and most of that I can get with a project that's not under the time pressure of 48 hours.
Of course with the 48, your time committment is just a weekend. That has a lot of draw.
On the good side, I'm done with all the color correction and fixing and fiddling. Barring catastrophe, of course, but I think we're good there. And that means I can relax a bit, but only a little since there is other stuff that is screaming to be done.
The months before CONvergence/Fringe tend to be a busy, busy time.
It's also the same time as the 48 Hour Film Festival. Which is partly why it's not in my schedule, at least this year. And that whole stab-me-in-the-liver-with-a-fork thing.
I love the idea of the 48. I just don't love the exhaustion and the not sleeping. Were I actually going into it and had time to prepare beforehand (like sleeping), I'd probably be much more into it.
But I've also done a lot of shooting under time pressures. Hell, all of Horror Incorporated was done under ridiculous time pressures; we would usually shoot four episodes in two days, which averaged over 20 air minutes per episode-- which means we essentially shot a feature film every weekend for two seasons. We got really good at fast production stuff. It's far from my favorite mode of operation which actually provides time to compose and light a scene.
So for the challenge part of the 48-- I know I can do it. I think it's more the cameraderie and immediate involvement in the creativeness of the project that would draw me, and most of that I can get with a project that's not under the time pressure of 48 hours.
Of course with the 48, your time committment is just a weekend. That has a lot of draw.
Profile
magicmarmot- Tom Ramcigam
- Magic Marmot Studios
Comments
Far be it from me to tsk-tsk someone about the wisdom of amateur movie-making and sword wounds... but is this true?
We used things like rubber guns and prop swords and explosiveless squibs out of regard for safety, specifically because of stuff like this. Accidents do happen, but nobody ever shot anybody accidentally with a gun that's as wobbly as a sex toy or hard as a sponge, and that prop sword that I made for Sasha might be able to tenderize a steak if you hit it often enough, but it's about as likely to cut someone as a dull spoon.
Considering the number of people and length of the shoot that we had, I think we did pretty good on not having much in the way of injuries. I think I had some bruises, but I don't remember any blood.
I'm all for good old fake weapons. I guess our prop sword *could* have given someone a nasty bruising -- or a concussion, I suppose, if someone had been whacked in the head hard enough. But yes - after one accident we learned to stay away from repeated use of pointy weapons.
>I think I had some bruises, but I don't remember any blood.
Believe me... there were bruises! Plenty of bruises for those of those throwing punches and kicks. As to a bloodletting, I believe you, Mr. Marmot, cut your hand the first night of filming or thereabouts... though not seriously... providing our required blood sacrifice.
Still, no hospitalizations, no stitches, no broken bones... I think we're pretty good in that regard.
I am really apalled by the number of low-budget indie filmmakers who use "real" weapons, both edged weapons and firearms. Even the crappy aluminum swords in Bloodrayne were dangerous from the burred edges-- not like you wouldn't know that firsthand or anything-- and it's not that hard to design your shoot so that hero swords are used in closeup and prop swords are used in action.
But there are so many fenboi that "know" how to use swords and are not patient for things like safety.
(Of course, when you consider the use of prop swords on a movie like Lord of the Rings and the amount of injuries they still had, it's worth reminding yourself that accidents will still happen and people will still get hurt, but doing what you can to minimize those injuries is a really good idea.)
Real guns though scare the crap out of me. Even when they are unloaded and I know they are unloaded because I've seen/verified it myself, I get really really nervous. Likewise with exploding squibs, or any explosives/fire happening near or on an actor. I've been squibbed, it's not something you do recreationally. It leaves bruises.
The 48 Hr things sounds like quite the romp- I'd love to do something like that- SOMEDAY.