Moving On

Wow. Two years! Two years since I threw myself into all this, full force. Five years since I wrote the first draft of the script. 16 months since production on "Smalltimore" began. One year exactly since I screened the rough cut. 8 months since the (near) finished product (made a few small tweaks since then). 7 months since our first festival. 5 months since our first award. And four years exactly since my friend Thom, whom "Smalltimore," is dedicated to, died.

I am exhausted, and this is going to be very short. I have been sleeping like a log for the last several nights, now that my plate is nearly cleared. Giving myself a little break before the next big push forward, pursuing distribution, begins. Big screening is past, DVD is available for sale, almost 200 are already in circulation! Christmas is over, have low-key plans with friends for New Year's Eve... time for a little breather.

This afternoon I took my Mom and my brother to see "Dreamgirls" at the Hippodrome for their Christmas present, and I just got back from spending a couple hours at The Havana Club for Kelly Coston's birthday. My hair smells like cigars, but it was worth it to hang out with Kelly and Cheryl for awhile. I really do love that they turned out to be such great friends to each other, as well as friends of mine.

Tomorrow night I will see some more Smalltimore friends, Tucker and the boys et al will be playing at the Cat's Eye Pub in Fells Point for the 4th Annual Thom Hickling Memorial Party, and Phil Calvert promised to meet up with me there. You should join us!

Sorry this is a rather boring post, but it truly is just me winding down after a very long haul. There is still a lot more that lays before me, many miles to go, many challenges to overcome, and I hope you will keep following me through them. Thanks to those who have become my regular readers, and thanks especially to those of you who have been with me from the very beginning (or have gone back and read from the very beginning to catch up!). I look at my blog stats every day, and it is very gratifying to see so many repeat viewer, and viewers that spend a long time on the site. Eases any guilt I have for being long-winded :)

This is my final post on this blog. I have holiday company for a few more days, but soon I will make my first posting on the new blog, www.steelcorsetproductions.blogspot.com. Please add it to your RSS feed and continue on my journey with me. Two years into it, I still learn something new every day, and I am not expecting that to change, ever. I absolutely love that!

I hope all of you are having a fantastic holiday season, and whether 2009 was good to you or if you cannot wait to lay it to rest, I hope you all have big things to look forward to in the New Year, I hope that you have created or are creating great opportunities for yourselves. I myself am looking forward to laying my head on the chopping block - over and over again. Hold my hand?

Turning the Page

Writing offline again, while the computer is tied up printing DVDs. I won't even tell you how many I've printed. I'm almost done.

Talked to Michelle yesterday and I did tell her how many I printed. I forget what she said, something diplomatic, but I know that tone in her voice. It was her, "Don't be disappointed if it doesn't happen the way you think it will..." voice. In other words, she doesn't think I am going to sell that many DVDs. I like it when she doubts me. It makes it that much more fun when I prove her wrong. I sold sixteen yesterday, and I got an email from my friend Doug in Mississippi saying his check was in the mail for his own DVD. Seventeen! Plus Cheryl already ordered 5 extra... twenty-two. Well on my way. And, like I told Michelle, if I don't sell them all in one night, it's not like they are going to go bad!

I was going to go out again tonight, distributing posters, postcards, and see if there was anyone out and about, but it is disgusting outside and I am feeling something coming on, been sneezing all day, so I am playing it safe in my cozy apartment. Tomorrow is not supposed to be so gross, so I will spend some more time on my one-woman media blitz then. I have quite the hit list lined up.

There are still 8 or 9 festivals that I am waiting to hear back from, expecting notifications starting a couple weeks from now, spread out through March, I think. From early November through January there are very few festivals going on. After the screening next week, I will sift through Withoutabox.com and submit to a few more, and then that is it for festivals. The next step will be seeking distribution, which I have not even touched on one bit yet. Some filmmakers would not choose to self-distribute before seeking professional distribution. There are pros and cons to everything. I am too practical to think that some studio exec is going to show up on my doorstep with a distribution deal and a dozen roses. It may happen if I work very hard at seeking it out, but the word "distribution" isn't as big a deal as most people think it is. A lot of times, that means that the filmmaker signs over any and all rights to the film and never sees a dime. We've all heard how "Paranormal Activity," was made for a measly $11,000 and now it is a nationwide sensation raking in millions, right? Um, has anyone seen the filmmakers on any talk shows? If you have, I am sure they are not talking about the millions they made on it. That would be the studio that picked it up, possibly for less than $11,000. I haven't looked into it, but I will, and I'll get back to you.

People (i.e., filmmakers especially) get caught up in that word, "distribution". And it is nice to be able to say that, and don't get me wrong, I WANT to be able to say that at some point about "Smalltimore." But, like I said, I am practical, and the other thing is, it is not just my money. I have a responsibility to my Executive Producers to get them their money back. Well, in theory, or actuality even, I don't, because they each knew going in, I was very honest and painted as dark a picture as I could, that they may never see a dime of it back. But, in my actuality, I am not going to be able to rest until I do get them their money back, at least to break even. First of all, so I can sleep at night, and secondly, hell, I want to make another movie! If I can prove to my friends who were so generous with me the first time that I could get them their money back when I had no idea what I was doing, hopefully I can do a lot better the second go-round!

My decision to self-distribute was based on the old adage to strike while the iron is hot. Right now, people know about "Smalltimore." I meet someone new at least once a week who says, "That's you? I've been hearing about that! How can I get a copy?" Well, you can show up at The Charles Theater next Wednesday, December 9th at 7:00pm for the screening, then come to the DVD release party at the Wind-Up Space right after and buy one for yourself! I know some people who have been holding on tightly to their movie for years, waiting for that phone call or email with an offer of distribution. The longer they wait, in most cases, the less money (if any) they are going to get for it. I certainly don't know everything about this business, but I know my current demographic. And that is, all of my friends and current Baltimoreans that this movie represents, and all of the people who helped to make it. Those are the people who want their hands on it now, so why pass that up? I don't know where I am going to be five years ago, let alone where all these people who want my movie now are going to be. What am I going to do, Facebook them in 2014 and say, hey, do you still want to buy a copy? I am not going to let any moss grow on my feet. Over the course of the next year, if you run into me somewhere and you don't have a copy yet, I'll be happy to sell you one out of the trunk of my car. I am not afraid to make my investors' money (and mine) back for them $15 at a time. I am not going to let my ego get in the way of my responsibilities.

Anyway, moving on. Literally. Let's recap briefly, so you can understand what a huge process the whole thing has been. I wrote the very first draft of the script exactly five years ago. I didn't do much with it for two years, then I spent a solid year rewriting it. Two years ago, at my last big holiday party, I unveiled the rough trailer (click the video in the toolbar on the right, the one with me in it) that I had made in secrecy, and announced to all of my friends and family my intent to make a movie. At that time I started my first movie blog, www.charmcitythemovie.blogspot.com. I spent the next 8 months in pre-production, continuing rewrites up until only a month before we starting filming on August 1, 2008. Two weeks of production, a handful of pick-up days a few months later... and on December 27th, 2008, as promised, I screened a rough cut to cast and crew. At that event I also revealed that the true name of the movie was "Smalltimore," and started the new blog that you are now reading, www.smalltimorethemovie.blogspot.com.

In this past year, I have never stopped doing my best to make the movie better and just get it out there. Even after submitting it to more festivals than I care to admit, I continued tweaking and editing. It has been to festivals in England, Philadelphia, and California. It won "Best Director," at Indie Fest in Anaheim, where we screened at the AMC Theater smack in the middle of DisneyLand, even beating out a very good film that I saw there, "House of Fallen," which starred Corbin Bernsen and C. Thomas Howell.

Every time I watch, "Smalltimore," and believe me, I have lost count by now - especially lately, when I have been watching one from each batch to make sure they are burning correctly - I see things I would do differently, and things that, if I wanted to, I could still do to it to make it better. But, there comes a time when you have to say, that's it; it's done. Could it be better? Of course. "Gone With The Wind," could have been better. This is my first film. I can live with it as is.

Anyway, the point I am meandering to is, it is time to move along. I have kept you updated on here about any other movie-related things I have been working on, and just like I have done that while my main focus has been "Smalltimore," it is almost time to swap those priorities. Of course these last few weeks, and at least the next one, has been All Smalltimore, All The Time. But this is our last big hurrah, at least the last planned big hurrah. Like I said, I'll continue to get it out there, a few more festivals maybe, and strong pursuit of distribution. Maybe another Baltimore screening next summer, we'll see what the market will bear. I would love to show it at a drive-in, how fun would that be? But if I am to be serious about turning this into my next career, I can't be a one-trick pony. I need to expand my horizons, and move on to new projects, mine as well as working on other people's.

On December 27th of this year, I will retire this blog on its one year anniversary. Like www.charmcitythemovie.blogspot.com, (in theory) it will remain in cyberspace forever, so you can always refer back to it if you are so inclined. At that time, I will begin a new blog, www.steelcorsetproductions.blogspot.com. Still me, still doing what I do, just, you know, in a broader spectrum. I hope to be able to generate the degree of name recognition for Steel Corset Productions that I have been able to drum up for "Smalltimore". I hope to have a lot of new adventures, and take even bigger chances. And I really hope that you will come along for the ride.

Racking Up the Credits

[Mikey's cabin in the Poconos, the location of my next short film, being shot later this month.]

How did I get so busy? Ya know, I have to stop asking myself that. I accepted a long time ago that at this point in my life there is really no such thing as "down time." If I am NOT busy, then I am in trouble...

Earlier this year, though don't ask me to pinpoint exactly when, I decided that, in addition to pushing "Smalltimore" at any festivals I could get it into (3 so far, all of which I attended this summer, one at which I won "Best Director"), I decided that I would dedicate the rest of this year to working on other people's projects in order to bulk up my resume with screen credits. Well, I got my wish. And no, I am not going to say, "Be careful what you wish for," because I am very glad to have gotten my wish, even though every moment that I take to breathe these days leaves me feeling a little guilty that I am not busy working on something.

So, what have I been up to? Well, you already know about my short, "The Red-Headed Menace," that we filmed in July and won the Judith Reinart Independent Spirit Award for in August, at the 29 Days Later Film Festival. "TRHM" screened again this past Monday at the Creative Alliance at the monthly Cinelounge meeting. That was really fun. Great turnout, loads of great feedback. After we screened, along with 2nd ("Tiny") and 3rd ("Apnea") place winners from 29 Days Later, I had to go up to the stage with the other two filmmakers for a short Q & A. It was only later that I realized that not only was this the first time I went up to a stage for something like this without my heart beating faster in a bad way, but I actually felt very comfortable and really enjoyed it. I never thought I would get to the point in my life when public speaking did not terrify me, but here I am.

Along those lines, but skipping ahead, this weekend I am preparing to speak at a class at UMBC next Tuesday taught by Kimberly Moffitt on the subject of Film in Baltimore. She is giving them the link to this blog today so thought I'd give them a little shout out. Look forward to meeting you guys! Last year Kimberly found me after reading something about "Smalltimore" online, and asked me to speak at her class last December. That was pretty nerve-wracking at first, but it turned out that I really enjoyed it. When I left that day, which was their last class before final exams, she told me that some questions on their final would be about my presentation. How cool is that? I was glad to get another call from her this year, looking forward to it. There was a time when I would have only thought of standing in front of a class like that to be pure torture, and here I am wishing I could do it more often. That is the beauty of filmmaking. You can't even imagine all the amazing lessons and personal growth that come with putting yourself out there like that until you actually do it.

But, as usual, I digress.

So, to update you on the other projects I have my hands in: last weekend I got back to work on the feature, "The Rosens," with Director Steve Yeager, though this time in addition to being Assistant Director I have also taken on the responsibility of Co-Producer, which basically means I do a bit more leg work in between filming days to help find locations, props, personnel, etc., that make the operation run more smoothly. Such as, I got Regina Guy on board to do Craft Services during the weekend shoot. Always great working with her, and partaking of her famous homemade chili :)

You already heard about "Please God, Someone Normal," so I won't recap that again. Other projects I have been asked to participate in but as they are still in early pre-production I have yet to get my hands very dirty, but will before year's end: one of my Production Assistant interns from "Smalltimore", Shernay Williams, is producing a short with her writer/director brother, and I will be doing some consulting with them next week and possibly through the length of the project, due to be shot in November. Another PA intern, but this one from "Ju-Ju: The Witch Doctor Chronicles,", Li Zhu, who also served as Assistant Camera on "The Red-Headed Menace" is preparing to shoot her thesis piece for Stevenson University and I will be doing some consulting and likely some production work for her. Normally, I would not be excited about working on a student film, but Li is such a perfectionist and I know that she has such a sharp eye that she will make certain that her piece is flawless, and I know the final product will be something that I would be happy to have my name associated with. Shernay's project as well. I read her brother's script and I think it has great potential.

So, there are a couple more screen credits. I wouldn't do just anything for screen credits, though, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't let my name be put on something unless I was proud to be a part of it. Another project that is very early in the works is an untitled short by Craig Herron. It will be heavy on the computer-generated effects and I haven't worked on anything like that before and I am looking forward to that getting off the ground. I will likely help with the script and on the production side.

Production isn't really what I want to get into, but I am good at it and there is a demand for those who are. It is problem-solving, creative thinking, event planning, and putting out fires. Pretty much exactly what I have been doing in hotel management for the last 20 years.

And finally, once again I am creating my own slew of screen credits by writing, producing, and directing another short, tentatively titled, "Skeletons." Michelle Farrell and I are teaming up again to shoot this at my friend (and one of my Executive Producers from "Smalltimore") Mikey's cabin (above photo) in the Poconos. "Skeletons," is a very heavy, dramatic piece with only two actors, so it will be very different from my previous work. I am looking forward to the challenge, and to challenging Michelle (i.e., driving her crazy) to make this no-budget short look like a million bucks.

On top of all that, I have been writing up proposals and filling out applications for a couple of local fellowships that could, if they so choose, award me with film gear and work space. Don't want to go too far into that and jinx it, so I'll let you know the outcome.

But the thing about those fellowships, and about the big hopes I have for what will be going on in my life a year from now (more on that after January, don't want to jinx that either), is this: bottom line is, it doesn't matter. I want these things, I really want them, I feel I deserve them and I could do justice to the people who might award me these things by giving back to them a quality product which is really their goal, to help an artist to do exactly that, and they would make meeting my own goals a whole lot easier, but the bottom line is: I will do it with or without them.

I am not saying that in a way to thumb my nose at anyone, that is not what I mean. What I mean is that, if you are going to do something like this, you just have to freaking do it, and you can't depend on anyone to help you get it done. I spent over a year, after deciding to make "Smalltimore" a reality on screen, thinking that I was dependent on other people who knew more than I did helping me to get it done. It was not until several people along the way did not live up to my (possibly ridiculous) expectations did I say to myself, screw this, I AM getting this done, one way or another. And I did.

Once I did that, as I have talked about before, other people that I had not expected to help me stepped forward and gave me support that I could not have dreamed of asking for. That's the way it goes. But you can't count on that either. You just have to move forward. None of this is brain surgery. All of it is hard work, and getting your hands dirty. The trick is to be above nothing. That is what gets people's attention, and respect.

Perspective

[Reviewing footage of the end piece for my new short, "The Red-Headed Menace" - photo by Regina Guy]

Almost back to normal. This weekend (er, last weekend, I guess, as tomorrow starts another one) was very intense. How the hell did I do this for two weeks straight last summer? Must have been pure adrenaline.

I did finish a rough cut sans credits last night. Worked for about 8 hours, right now it totals about 6 minutes of movie. It will be 7-8 with credits. I have to credit nearly 50 people! One of whom I neglected to mention in my last post is my new friend Billy Poe. Billy is an author and documentarian and we "met" when he sent me a message with some questions about the pre-production class I was supposed to teach at the Creative Alliance on June 6, that I had to cancel when I accidentally poisoned my dogs. (BTW, I will be teaching that class on December 12 at the CA, barring any rat poison debacles). We kept in touch via email for 6 weeks talking shop, and I asked Billy if he would want to film behind-the-scenes stuff on the shoot of "The Red-Headed Menace" for me. So that was the day we met in person for the first time, and I only had about 5 minutes, collectively, to actually speak to him all day. He was extremely unobtrusive and I'm sure he got some great stuff. Maybe some day we will have time to sit down for a drink or something.

Behind-the-scenes footage, or rather lack thereof, is one of my bigger regrets about shooting, "Smalltimore," last summer. I did have a handheld video camera on the set most days, but I didn't have anyone with any experience to assign to it. I would definitely recommend having someone do that for you for every shoot that you can. Especially if you are directing, you are so focused that you don't have time to really absorb the circus that is around you, it is all you can do to keep it under control.

I have to say again that Sunday's shoot went pretty damn smoothly. There was amazingly little to no tension, at least from my perspective. Apparently I did, "intimidate," a few people. That is never my intention, but I can't spend a lot of time worrying about it. I think even those that said that understood by the end of the day why I have to be like that on the set.

What was a little difficult was switching gears when it was time to direct the kids. Of course, that takes a gentler touch. I had two kids in "Smalltimore," but they are my little cousins, so they were already comfortable with me and I knew they'd listen and not get scared (though the younger one, Sean, sometimes gets nervous at first). For kids, you have to take extra time and care to make them feel comfortable, especially with so many people on the set. It is very difficult for them to NOT look at the camera, so I had to position myself behind whichever actor they were supposed to be addressing their lines to and told them to look at me. This seemed to work pretty well and put them more at ease.

Nicole, the oldest (12) was a champ, and for the most part I could direct her as I did any of the adults. Colleen (8) is a friend of my little cousin Sean, and she had a part in, "Juju." She was such a natural that I knew the next time I wrote something, I wanted to write a part in for her. In the first draft of, "The Red-Headed Menace," there was only one kid, a part I had written for Colleen. But at first I wasn't able to reach her, which is when I found Nicole, and then Charlie's mom emailed me with a picture and he was so cute I had to put him in there, and then Colleen's mom got back to me and I thought, what the hell? I GUARANTEE you that no other movie in the 29 Days Later Film Project is going to have THREE cute red-headed kids! Production value, baby!

And that is both my strength, I think, and my curse: Production Value. I just can't do anything half-assed. For my restaurant scene, I couldn't just throw spaghetti on a plain plate and put a glass of water on the table. My Mom and I were up into the wee hours the night before, arranging fanned slices of steak on my Lenox china ("Autumn" pattern, their most expensive) and steaming vegetables so they were nice and brightly colored. We filmed on Sunday, so the liquor stores were closed and as I dressed the set I realized I had no red wine! My neighbor Philip came to my rescue and sent half a bottle over, to be poured in real crystal wine glasses, also Lenox ("McKinley"). I washed the tablecloths just that morning so that I could put them on the tables AFTER the crew had rigged the lights, so they wouldn't mess them up, and wile they were still a little damp so they wouldn't be too wrinkled. My Mom made the flower arrangements for each table. When Elizabeth, one of the PAs, set the silverware, it took her extra tie to do so because I told her the settings had to match. Votives on every table. Some plates fresh, some half-eaten, some tables ordering dessert... I think about all these things and this is why I don't get around to other things I need to be doing, like a shot list.

I did, though, break down the script in the order which I wanted to shoot the scenes, and Unique numbered them for me and kept everything straight, and saved my ass several times with continuity issues. Having a script supervisor/continuity person was another luxury I really didn't have on, "Smalltimore." It was awfully nice to have it this time.

So, yea, I had all these people I didn't have on, "Smalltimore," an Assistant Director, a Scripty/Continuity, a Behind-the-Scenes guy... still, I need to delegate more of the pre-production and production work so I can better direct.

One luxury I DID have on "Smalltimore" that I did not have on "The Red-Headed Menace," was rehearsal time. I really wish I could have done that for this project, at least for the actors with the bulk of the lines, some of whom had never met so did not have established chemistry, some like me and Michelle who could have really used that to ease into putting ourself out on a limb like that.

I also should have scheduled a good hour and a half per page of shooting time (not including set-up or breaks). Or at least done one or the other (rehearsals + a shorter shoot, or if I know I can't have rehearsals, allow more time for shooting). To have done no rehearsals at all and scheduled a short shoot was just not how I would have liked to work. For "Smalltimore" I felt slightly guilty asking the actors for more of their time for rehearsals prior to production, but it was by far one of the best things I could have done. For a short like this, probably the best thing to do would have the actors come in at the same tie as the crew (4 hours before shooting began) to run the scenes and do blocking.

Sound is also an issue that continues to plague me, but the more I do it, the better I become at it, and to be able to finesse the sound yourself in post will save you THOUSANDS of dollars on a feature-length film. The best thing, of course, is to get it right while you are ON the set, but there are always glitches. If you can figure out how to fix them yourself, you'll be glad you took the time to do so. Next time I am doing a shot list if it kills me, INCLUDING Foley stuff (sound effects). Get it all done on the set and then you don't have to worry about it.

A filmmaker I was talking to recently, I think it was Ronnie Goodwin, I met him at the Heart of England Film Festival, made a suggestion to me that made so much sense I couldn't believe it had never crossed my mind. Every time he creates or records a specific sound (champagne popping, duck quacking, helicopter, rushing water, ambient sound in a crowded room, whatever, he keeps the clips altogether in a sound effects file for future use. If you shoot on a regular basis, you can establish a library of sound effects pretty quickly doing this. I am going to have to borrow ambient crowd noise from some "Smalltimore," footage, as we did indeed forget to record that while we had all the actors and extras on the set for TRHM.

I think those are my main regrets about this latest shoot, though they are negligible considering how well it all went. It was really fun, and it was amazing to me as I sat and edited last night, when the camera was rolling before I said, "Action!" or after I said, "Cut!" more than half the time we would be laughing about something. Even though it was intense and a lot of work, and a long day, it was relaxing in its way. Everyone was there because they wanted to be there, and as the day wore on, they seemed to get more excited about it instead of fading out on me. There were a lot of good photos taken that day, but the one at the top of this post is my favorite. It was about 8:30pm and we were reviewing the shot we just did, the stunt that wraps up the short, just before we are going to break for dinner (half an hour late), and after dinner we still have another two hours of shooting to do. That everyone in this photo is genuinely smiling and laughing makes me feel very good, like not only is the footage what I wanted it to be, but also they were just happy to be there and to be a part of the project. It was a great day, a great cast and a great crew, and this is the photo that spurs me on to think about the next project that I want to do, and within a few months, not a whole year from now. Who's in?