A Special Moment.

Megan’s right, we’re almost done. We’re so close I can taste it. Over the past few weeks I’ve been able to see the movie come together in ways that I never thought possible. At this point I’m not just exited to finally be done with this year long, grueling process and to finally be submitting the film to festivals, but perhaps for the first time I can honestly say I’m honestly, genuinely exited about sitting down my friends and family and showing them what we’ve done. I think when we do, after all this time, after all this talk; they’ll see we haven’t been completely full of it. I actually think this is going to blow away the people that I love and respect most and that’s something very special to me.

Then there’s my greatest joy of all. Something that as time has gone on I’ve begun to realize will mean more to me than anything else. I think the greatest moment I will experience throughout this entire adventure is when Megan and I get to sit down in a room, probably crack open a bottle of wine and watch END together, just the two of us, alone in a room experiencing the final product of the fruit of our labor.

This project began almost a year ago with the two of us sitting down and deciding we were going to do something insane. Through everything we have been the two people that have been involved in EVERY single aspect of the film. We made this movie for each other just as much for the world of cinema as a whole. By the time most siblings hit their mid to late twenties they’re barely on speaking terms, much less setting aside a whole year of their lives to work hand in hand with each other, toiling to make their dreams a reality.

I would like to think that great things are in store for END. I can honestly say we have surpassed our wildest expectations. I’d like to think that this will be the beginning of great and lucrative careers for all involved. I’d like to imagine that twenty years from now all involved will look back on this movie as the break point of their careers and lives. I’m hoping that what we did with and on this film is just a drop in the bucket compared to what the future has in store. I think, no make that, I KNOW we’re going to make bigger and better movies but for me none of them will ever hold quite the same meaning this one does. END has been a labor of love from the beginning and more importantly it wouldn’t have happened without love. I love my sister and I love that WE did this crazy, remarkable thing together and that’s why when we finally get to sit down and watch it done and complete, for the first time together… well, that’s going to be something I cherish forever.

Almost Done!

The movie will be done this weekend. It's actually going to happen. I am happy but exhausted. Thank You God!!!

Miles to Go...

Hollywood
Originally uploaded by mrbosslady

I accomplished one of the goals I’ve set when we started making End - I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned so much that saying I’ve learned “a lot” may be an understatement.

1. Working with people whose dedication matches their talent is a must – especially in post. Whether it’s staying up till 3 in the morning to finish music so I can review it, pumping out new version of FX files when the mixer can’t open what was provided in record time, color correcting every shot to match my vision, or partnering with me to get all my phone calls made makes all the difference for me. Without everyone’s willingness to make sure the business gets done we’d be nowhere.
2. Remember it’s not about a deadline but a product. Every time we have set a deadline on End we have ended up pushing it. I’ve come to realize that in this budget area of filmmaking what can go wrong will go wrong: files will go missing, tapes will get eaten, people will get sick and life happens. What is important is that while I go nuts during post-production that I keep putting out fires and moving forward. We need to make a good product more than we need to make a fast product, and eventually we will be done.
3. I need to live my film, but I also need to live my life. I don’t need to do this so that I don’t become Kubrick-type obsessed or so that I remember to do things like shower, but because if I have tunnel vision for my movie I will stop being influenced and inspired to be better. End is worth the effort for me to keep looking at it with fresh eyes.
4. I have to keep being willing to listen. It is incredibly important for me to have a vision as a director but I have to be willing to listen to other people. This doesn’t mean I have to like their ideas, or even use them but by opening up to what other people bring to me it makes me think about why I am doing what I am doing and sometimes it even gives me an idea about how to do something that I would have never done before. Film is collaborative and the moment I think I have all the answers is probably the moment I will crash and burn.
5. God is always with me. While I already knew this, you have no idea how much stress and tension rolls off of me just because I know my fate is not in my own hands. I get to work hard and then see what God does with it.

End is finally reaching a conclusion and I am like a kid at Christmas Eve that just can’t wait for morning to come. I look forward to the adventure ahead even though I know that it will be filled with up and downs and probably have me jumping for joy as much as it has me pulling my hair out. This is why I went to college, made short films, worked with my friends and continued my love affair with the movies. I am not the same person I was when I graduated college and I am excited to see where I can go from here.

I left it on the doorstop

Final delivery of sound effects for End was made this last weekend. I scoured through it for every minor little sound.. everything from a door being closed to how a bed hits a window with blinds. Then I burned it to disk (properly labeled, of course) and left it on my doorstop for pick-up. And that is that..

It's weird handing it off to someone else, but at the same time, a little nice. It'll be interesting to see how someone else interprets the script and incorporates everything together. There are times as an artist, you have to step aside and let someone else take a swing at it. Out of ego, I wouldn't have minded staying on until the final mix, but out of "knowing what's better for the project", I like having someone else do it.

Besides, I've put a lot of personal time, money, and gumpshin into this project as it is. It's sort of nice to sit back and wait for the screening.

It's a good ride and I'm lucky to have been involved. Looking forward to the next one!

Quiet! Did you hear something?

It's a weird thing: sound.

In most films, the sound person essentially cleans everything up, does the explosions, bottles breaking, etc. Ultimately, it's all pretty standard stuff that's easy to find, and sound person knows how to do.

Then you have something like this. When I'm actually creating an entire unseen atmosphere, it's a very surreal process. Especially after shooting the thing; I'm constantly battling myself. "Wait, he wasn't doing that then". "But it doesn't matter if we see it, because the SOUND will tell us what's happening". "Oh".

So for me, it was crucial to have Megan swing by and let me know if I was anywhere near the right track. Fortunately, she seemed pleased with the direction I've taken. Later, she Twittered that she heard the monsters for the first time. That really hit me. All this time, the monsters were these unseen, unknown creatures and with some clever placement (and some pretty freaky noises), I've actually brought to life that which is never seen or known of.

Pretty damn cool.

I like a challenge like this. I've always appreciated sound because it has the power to completely change the meaning, atmosphere, ambience, idea, concept, or whatever you see on screen. I thought it would be funny to just make everything kazoo effects. Now THAT would change the feeling of the film.

The tough part now, as I work to finish the sound effects, is to keep the creativity up and not let my rational mind keep me from really pushing this story. Or over-doing it and killing the story.

Fortunately, the actors gave me plenty to work with (as far as how high or low in emotionality I can bring the threat).

All I can do is hope I didn't suck. It's tough to invent from scratch that which never even exists in the film. Until now.