Weekly Update(s) 03/07/2010
My computer died last Tuesday. There’s an update for ya. I still don’t really know what happened, but something somewhere shorted out and it put the whole following week into a bit of a fritz. It was okay though, the hard drives are all fine, it’s just something in the motherboard that’s mad at the world. In honesty, it was time. It was a bit old, and it had served me well over many, many, many long hours. So while waiting for the new parts to arrive, I spent a lot of time just searching through internet databases doing market research. We did some budgeting and projections. We’ve just been working on a lot of the little things that a proper business needs to do properly. It’s been good and worthwhile, just relatively unblogable.
This blog has so far been mainly us writing about creative endeavors or thoughts on creative processes, but the last few months have primarily seen us working to progress the business of Brainroot. This isn’t as exciting to talk about as movies. But it is at some points interesting. I’m going be talking about the business at more points from this point forward. I’d say “we,” but I haven’t actually talked to Paul about this possible content amalgamation. I think he’s probably been thinking about it himself. If not, I’ll just come back in here delete these few sentences, because it’s the internet and it’s ephemeral and I can do that so Nah. But, yes, Business! Not always, don’t fear, just at points.
We’re going to India. There’s an update for ya. That’s on the business side. Got our shots on Friday so that we hopefully don’t die while over there…cause then we couldn’t do the work we’re to do, which is to document World Water Day with Water.org. They’re a really great organization and we’re really happy that we’ve been able to work with them…and that they’re taking us to India.
While that’s big and exciting, it’s the only really exciting thing coming up. So for now, that’s all I’ll update you on. Now, if you’ll excuse me ladies and gentlemen, I need to stretch because there’s hoops we need to jump through.
Weekly Update: 02/14/2010
The gloves are on.
No, I didn’t mix up my metaphors. We’re gearing up to enter the ring. No more bare-knuckle boxing in the back alley. Sure, it’s fun and it gives you a sense of adventure and makes you feel tough. But when you operate outside of the mainstream where only a few people know about you, when you win you still don’t win all that big no matter how much of a beating you took. The big money is in the ring in front of the cameras with a stadium of people yelling for you to win and lose.
We’ve spent our first year in the back alley testing our grit and cutting our teeth. We’ve come out on top. Our clients like us. They refer us. We’re good, and we like doing it. But we’re still in the back alley. We’re working on moving out, meaning lots of meetings and lots of paperwork. A lot of unsexy little tasks that seem like encumbrances, but those are the things that let you get into the big ring.
Weekly Update: 01/31/2010
So what the heck have I been up to? Simply seeking the Runes of Power. That’s all.
The majority of my fairly fractured time over these last few weeks has been spent rehashing the Brainroot pro site. A lot of 12-16 hour days sitting in front of my computer monitor (which, thanks to my family+Christmas is luckily a sweet Samsung 2333HD 23″ LCD, a highly recommendable monitor since it has HDMI and component inputs and can therefore be used on shoots as an HD monitor, which are very important to have. . .end parenthesis)
Right, anyways, I’ve been working pretty whole-heartedly on updating the professional (web)face of Brainroot Light and Sound, LLC. I built the last webpage, which is up currently, back in ‘08 and it’s fairly not good. Mainly it’s the copy that needs to change, but there’s a lot of graphical stuff I’m rehasing, and ALL of the back-end code was very poorly built. If you’ll allow me to switch to my native tongue of Sarcasm I’ll say, “Exciting. I know.” But it’s something that must be done. And you will benefit from it.
The point of this blog is movie making. The subtitle of this blog is “the lives and times of indie movie makers” and right now our indie movie maker lives are in hard times. Don’t think we’re not awares of the lack of creative production flowing forth from our hands. Don’t think that I’m not aware of the hypocrisy that our current state of production, coupled with my last post’s fervent statements “talk is cheap!” and “talk is bologna!” makes me nearly guilty of. But we don’t have a 9-5 that supplies a reliable, budget-ible, savable stream of income that we can put towards makin’ da movies. Every dollar we earn, we earn. And right now, we need to earn.
So I’m sorry, but at current all we have in the fridge is bologna. It doesn’t fill us with joy either. Just don’t be under any illusion that we think the bologna sandwiches we serve up are tasty homemade pizzas. We do know how to cook. Quite well. We just need to be able to afford proper ingredients. Stick with us.
Weekly Update 01-24-10
Me. In the wild. Deal with it.
-or-
The Importance of Getting Out
I decided to join you today not from the peaceful serenity of the Brainroot national headquarters, nor the nourishing mayhem of my favorite coffee shop, rather, I decided to write this weekly update from deep in the Kansan tundra.
As I wandered off the beaten path, searching for the perfect writing location, I was slowly overwhelmed by majesty of the land. It was cold and barren (as only the prairie can be). I was surrounded by a symphony of noises: the bass from a passing freight train, the melody provided by a duet of bubbling creek and howling wind, and the treble part from the rattling of dead branches and brambles.
Caucasian males writers have often journeyed for the wilderness for inspiration. It gives us an excuse to write flowing, elegant prose about wind and creeks and other boring things. It also makes us feel like we’re “getting in touch with our creative energy.” (Because hallucinogens will only take you so far. ) (And they are expensive.) (And need to be purchased from seedy people with foreign names.) (Or at least hip-hop names.) (I digress.)
I journeyed to the wilderness for a simpler reason. I had lost my sunglasses. Or at least one pair of sunglasses.
Those who have known me for awhile know that I am close to my sunglasses. In fact, I don’ think my first girlfriend ever saw me without them. (She is now getting married.) ( To someone else.) (I digress). The following is a picture of where I lost this particular pair:
A wire diagonally spans the creek
I had been shimmying across the creek on the aforementioned wire (another story) when the sunglasses fell from my pocket. I found it much more difficult to retrieve them than I had anticipated, and got several appendages wet:
These shoes have been to hell and back, several times.
Finally, however, I retrieved the lost pair. Here I am at base camp shortly afterwards:
The rescued sunglasses are atop my head. Unfortunately, they were too scratched to wear.
After this ordeal I proceeded to look for a suitable writing spot. I though it prudent to document my equipment so that other aspiring writers would know what is essential for their own wilderness experience. They are as follows:
1.
A liquid warmer appropriate to your ethnicity. Mine is Jameson.
2.
A tuna sandwich. (Mine includes cheddar).
3.
A pipe. A source of inspiration for many generations of writers.
4.
A well worn pair of shoes, lest you be timid about treading where you will.
Finally, I arrived at a suitable location and unpacked my writing gear. A swig from the flask, a deft lighting of the pipe, and I was ready to go. I unfolded my laptop and pushed power. It was dead.
45 minutes later I was back at my car. 30 minutes later I was at a coffee shop and began writing this post. My shoes are soggy, I smell like creek, and I look like I’m homeless.
On second thought, screw the wilderness.
But what about Brainroot?
Oh yeah. The update.
Well, we’re still going. Chris is working on a new website and I’m finishing up a few editing projects while I continue to squeeze in a few minutes here and there to work on the script. The office is great an already feels like home. Now we just need clients. Any one willing to work on commission?
Another Timelapse of our Workings
Just before Christmas we acquired our first office. Twas a joyous occasion full of happiness and happy thoughts. This is a time lapse of our first walk down to the office and subsequent putting together of furniture. It covers three days in three minutes.
Weekly Update – 01/03/2010
Good New Year to everyone out there. I do hope that you’ll forgive the blog-break we took over the holiday season, and I also hope that you were busy enough with friends and family as to not be checking for updates too frequently. But the new year has begun – which is symbolically significant, as well has heralding the end and start of fiscal years – so it’s back to work and back to blogging.
December marked several interesting developments. There was the IFC related shoot on the 5th & 6th as detailed in the previous weekly update. We toyed with making a video for a online contest by Nikon and even did a little filming, but it was leaving a bad taste in our mouth so we cut it. A good bit of December was spent finalizing projects for Water.org and KCAI, as well as an unexpected shoot for KUMed. But the biggest development of the month was that we acquired office space and spent a large amount of time getting it set up and near-ready to go. We’ll have a timelapse of that soon.
The only other update is that we had great Christmases and New Years and we’re looking forward to tackling 2010! More, and more extensive, posts to follow.
Weekly Update 12/06/2009
On Set of 'Secrets' (photo: M. Montgomery)
A very good weekend.
On the left you see a picture of Chris and myself looking knowledgeable and helpful on the set of ‘Secrets’, a short film directed by a fellow IFC chap named Matt Connolly. We were collectively filling the role of DP. It was a fun group and a relatively headache-free shoot (not counting a mysteriously elusive prop Rolex).
Always good to stay involved and keep your production skills honed. You never know what new challenges you might encounter that will help you be a better producer.
We were also involved in a premier event for ‘Let’s Make a Movie‘, a great after-school program for at-risk youth in the K.C. area. It was started by Eric Keith David Huffman of Red Echo Group as a way to get kids off the street and behind a camera. Our job was to interview kids as they walked the red carpet as if we were the paparazzi. It was really great to hear their stories and be a part of the evening.
The rest of the week was spent taking a few steps closer to a new home for Brainroot and working on a few creative projects which will hopefully roll out in the next week or so.
On the movie front: Scene one of the script is complete! To be more accurate, a draft of something resembling scene one is complete. Nevertheless, it represents a major hurdle which is now out of the way. As the script comes together we’ll be working on a tentative budget and business plan. Oh yes, this is for real.
Weekly Update: 11/29/2009
While most of this week was spent with family for the Thanksgiving holiday, there was a bit accomplished on the creative side of Brainroot, and it was connected with the Independent Filmmaker’s Coalition of Kansas City (IFC for short).
Monday was our final pre-production meeting for Secrets. It’s a short movie being directed by Matt Connolly this weekend and we’re in charge of the technical production for it. We met Matt through the IFC and we worked on Trailer: The Movie with him. He’s a solid gent and we’re looking forward to the production this weekend.
We feel quite good about how we’ve planned it out. The story all takes place in one single scene: one location, one time-period, “one” set-up. We’ve gone through and created a shot-sheet from the script and done an overhead of the camera positions based upon the location scouting we did with Matt and Michael Loftus (the Assistant Director). In talking with Matt it sounds as though the cast (a tight group of three) are well rehearsed and comfortable with the characters so the production should go as smoothly as it’s possible for a production to go. We’ve got a solid game plan laid out, which will allow us to confidently toss that game plan aside on the day of shooting.
That’s just how things go.
Tuesday night through Wednesday morning was spent composting and rendering out some scenes for Jerry White’s movie 0:22:43. Jerry is another solid chap that we’ve met through the IFC. He helped run camera on one small band shoot we did (hopefully I’ll be able to post more about that in a month or so) and he stuck with us as we tried, failed, tried again, and failed again to get a Lord of the Rings-Guy Ritchie spoof shot. 0:22:43 has been a massive undertaking that he and his team have worked on for countless months and it was great to be able to help them put some of the finishing touches on their project. Check out their website at www.2243themovie.com.
That’s all for now. We’ve got a meeting about office space tomorrow. We’re not sure how it’s gonna go, but after talking back and forth we think we’re going to go for it if we’re able. Other than that I can only say “Thanks” to everyone who gives us encouragement. This Brainroot adventure is tough at points, but we’re keeping our stick on the ice. There’s a lot of folks out there pulling for us.
Weekly Update: 11/22/2009
This is me. Right now. In your face. Deal with it.
In my last post, A Difficult Week and a Change of Course, I mentioned that we have been dealing with a bit of discouragement lately.
We’re approaching the end of the “Year of Brainroot“, yet all we’ve managed to shoot are two shorts that are (as of yet) unfinished. The business is going, for now, but is still run out of our dining room. Brainroot’s biggest accomplishment appears to be that it’s still alive. Is that success? For many small business owners, it might be. For us . . . well, we are thankful, no doubt, but that five year Hollywood clock is ticking (tick) (tick) (tick).
So, where do we go from here? What will mark Brainroot’s second year in existence? What can you, the dear reader, except to see next season? The same old thing? New characters? Will Fox drop us mid-season? Well, let me tell you:
We have an announcement. A big announcement. Perhaps the biggest all year. Get excited, this is huge:
The Big Announcement
Not me. Deal with it.
We’re making another movie. Yes, that’s right. The next feature. When? Next spring/summer. What? Well, details are still coming together, but the forerunner is a comic morality tale about financial foul play. It’s adapted by a from a stage play written in 1909. Most likely it will take place in a more recent decade, but that depends on a few things. How? Well, this is where it gets tricky. I mentioned in my last post that we can’t bear any more no-budget filmmaking. That means we need money. How much and from where is still up in the air, but this will be a business venture, not a passion project.
But that’s not all! There is another big announcement. Maybe the second biggest all year. Get excited again:
The Other Big Announcement
We’re going legit. Brainroot is in serious talks about finding a more permanent home for the business. We may not be totally ready, nor can we totally afford it, but we can’t take the next step as a company until we have a place to be a company. We’d like to keep the location quiet until it becomes official, but it should be pretty cool.
Signing the lease will be terrifying, though. Too soon? Too risky? Let us know what you think . . .
A Difficult Week and a Change of Course
The Difficult Week
Chris and I spent the last week working feverishly on project we’ve been planing for quite some time. It is a fable called Lost in Fae, and contained a number of technical and logistical challenges that nearly sank the ship.
When it came time for the long awaited filming last weekend, we were dismayed to find that the weather had turned distinctly wintery and refused to cooperate with our schedule. However, thanks to a fearless group of unpaid actors and crew, we crawled away with some great material. Here is a sneak peak:
Feet Walking
Micah Cruise the Determined
Thomas Murdock the True
Erik Pratt the Devious
Faye Rebottaro the Joyful
April Gangel the Enchanting
Baron Redman the Tortured
The Change of Course
The weekend was so intense it left both of us bedridden (different beds) with a severe cold that persisted several days. On Tuesday we took a hard look around and realized we can’t keep doing what we are doing. It takes too much from us, too much from the people we ask to help, and far too much from our meager financial resources. We’ve come as far as we can come as amateur filmmakers, and have yet to find a way to make it work.
We’re now looking for a new way. A way that gives us the ability to create quality work without losing our minds. A way that allows us to compensate those who give us their talents. A way that lets us (and you who have helped) be as good as we know we can be.
Begin Chapter Two: Commercial Filmmaking.
A Timelapse
I know. It’s been awhile.
In order to make up for the incredible amount of time lapsed since our last substantial post, we present this timelapse:
6 ½ hours in just over 2 minutes:
Look! A distraction!
Sometimes you get a day job to support your main endeavor, then forget that the day job isn’t the main endeavor. Just say’n . . .
Playing Catch with Your Grandpa
I’m suddenly reminded of the “Good Idea, Bad Idea” sketches from the cartoon show Animaniacs. It was a crazy, zany kids show that I didn’t get to see all that often but that I always enjoyed. The clip that I’ve remembered the best went like this:
“Good Idea: Playing catch with your grandpa.” [video of a boy and his grandpa tossing a baseball back and forth]
“Bad Idea: Playing catch with your grandpa.” [video of two boys tossing their grandpa back and forth]
Get it? They’re tossing their grandpa. . . you know, instead of a baseball it’s. . . well anyways, I think it’s funny. I also find it relevant in regards to what we, as Brainroot, are trying to accomplish with this mettled mindset of “making movies.”
I disagree with Paul’s closing line in his last entry. We are not simply waiting idly for inspiration to shine down upon us. We don’t need another good idea, we already have several. Should we then go full-force at another of these large-scale, high-stress, high-cost (well, relatively high-cost) productions? We have certainly grown a tremendous amount as movie makers both through and since the production of YoGFL. But telling potential investors, “Trust us, we’re getting pretty good,” ain’t gonna seal the deal. Not by a quarter. And yes, showing YoGFL, the one thing we’ve produced, to potential cast and crew will help spark interest in a project. But one thing alone won’t inspire the confidence we need from the crew and the trust that we need from the cast for a large project. On top of that is the fact that we are working hard (well, relatively hard) at making Brainroot The Business successful, which takes a solid amount of doings.
Where does that put us? It puts us in about the same place as the majority of movie makers in the world. The place that gives you the option to do your idea with a lacking budget, sub-standard equipment, rushed schedules, ever-changing crew, un-contracted make-do actors, and an over-heating three year old computer for post. Or the option to simply not do your idea.
Both are dangerous. At this point in the game movie makers like us need the help of other hobbyist movie makers (there’s no good in us pretending to be anything else at this point) and if we produce bad work then our peers will be hesitant to work with us. But if we don’t produce anything at all, if we have nothing to show them, they’ll be even more hesitant.
Good Idea: Make Movies.
Bad Idea: Make Movies.
What’s the difference? The difference of course lies in the definition of “movies.” The definition that ties into the Bad Idea is movies as films. Or, more often and more obviously, wanna-be films. The definition that ties into the Good Idea is movies as good video. Movies as exercises to hone and sharpen the craft.
“What is ‘the craft’,” you ask. “What’s the difference? What are you talking about?” Well, that’s for the next post. Stay tuned.
__
Worst Idea: Make nothing at all.
Our film wins numerous awards, mostly imaginary; including best stew.
Film Festivals are fun. You get to wear a badge. You get to rub shoulders with the stars. Literally. David Proval bumped into me when I didn’t move fast enough.
The Iowa Independent Film Festival takes place in Clear Lake, a small yet charming town in north central Iowa.
We arrived Friday and spent most of the day arranging our campsite. On Saturday we watched a few films and made a fiery stew:
A Fiery Stew
Later that night we went to an awards ceremony. Our film didn’t win anything, so we stole some free chocolates and went to go drink rum (Chris) and whiskey (me) in the park.
On Sunday we rallied and attending our film’s showing. It was noon on a Sunday, so I didn’t expect anyone to be there. My spirits rose a little when I saw David Provall and Randal Kleiser in the audience, but I heard them tell the MC they were not staying for our film.
When the lights came up they were still there. In fact, their whole entourage came over to tell us how much they enjoyed the film. It was not perfect, but engaging enough to keep them there when they had other plans. Mr. Kleiser even requested a copy.
We also got a free pizza from the owner of a local Breadeaux franchise. Canadian bacon and sausage.
And so we left Clear Lake a little less hungry and a little more hopeful about the future then when we came. Now all we need is another good idea . . .
First Look – Wine For Three
We’ve taken a look at the footage from Wine for Three. Looks pretty good:
Micah Cruise as Ron making arrangements.
Andrea Huckaba as Angie gazing.
Erik Pratt as Gil scheming.
We plan to start editing this week . . .
And How
So, how does one get to Hollywood?
Well there are several theories, each with its own benefits and problems:
- Method #1 – Mad Connections
- Method #2 – Move to L.A.
- Method #3 – Dream
- Method #4 – Learn the Craft, Work Really Hard
This is arguably the most successful method. Sofia Coppola (Marie Antoinette) is connected to her father: Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather). Orson Wells (Citizen Cane) was connected to gobs of money. Either way, these people were (more or less) born into the American Aristocracy. The good: it usually works. The problem: Not everyone has connections.
Many people who want to make it in the film industry pack their bags and start busing tables in L.A. The good: It is brave, and has been known to work. The bad: There are only so many tables to bus (and even fewer real jobs). The Hollywood system takes advantage of optimistic free labor and gives little opportunity for advancement.
You can spot a practitioner of Method #3 by the use of phrases like “When a studio picks up my film then I’ll pay you”. Alternately, they may view success in the movie industry the same way they view the lottery: “if I stick around long enough maybe I’ll get lucky.” The good: It feels good. The bad: It doesn’t work.
Film is more than good ideas. “Loving it” is not enough. Being driven is not enough. It is an insanely technical and difficult art form. It requires instincts and disciplines that take years to develop. The good: It’s real. The bad: It’s real.
Our Plan:
- Get a few demo pieces - No one is going to fund our projects if we haven’t already made something good. We need a few short pieces that demonstrate or ability to pull off several genres of film.
- Get a killer idea – Perhaps it will be a mini-series that takes the internet by storm. Perhaps it will be an art film that gets everyone talking. We have several ideas, but the important thing is that they are doable and marketable.
- Find investors – Once we have the demo pieces and the killer idea, we’ll need money to make it happen. This is where it gets scary.
We are currently in phase one. Our first demo piece is a short comedy entitled Wine for Three. We’ve just finished casting and will be shooting on June 17th. Check back for updates on our progress.
Welcome to Our Blog
If you are reading this, I don’t believe you.
No, I’m serious. I don’t believe in blogs, I don’t believe in bloggers, and I especially don’t believe that anyone cool spends time reading them.
I know, you’re saying: “How could we be having this conversation if I’m not reading this?” That would be a good point, but I’m sitting on my porch writing in the present (your past), and you’re stuck solidly in the future (your present). How do I know you exist?
No wait . . . I’ve got an idea: Come up to me in the present (my future) and say “Robot Ostrich.” Then I’ll know it’s really you.
So why, if I don’t believe in blogs, am I writing one? Well, simply, I intend to be a player in “the industry” within five years. If my partner and I make it, that will be a good story (especially since it will have been written in the past . . . which is now the present). We are both Iowa country kids: no money, no connections, no shortcuts. We’ll need to get there without handouts or favors. If we do, then America still works. If not, well, America probably still works, just not on weekends.
And thus begins the Journey: Hollywood or Bust.
Baby’s First Blog
INTRO & ACCEPTANCE
Whether we beguiled you here through a recently updated Facebook profile picture and you’re viewing this post near the top of the page, or we somehow managed to generate within you enough interest for you to go combing through our Archives, the fact remains that a blog is a relatively difficult piece of social media to maintain.
I have no real desire to completely divulge the trials and tribulations of the coming years of this Brainroot experiment on a medium as ephemeral and over-populated and this internet blog-o-sphere. But I have even less desire to fail to meet the blogging challenge since meeting and overcoming obstacles of every nature is the fundamental task of any endeavor worth taking a crack at. I hope Brainroot is one such endeavor. And so I blog and accept the challenge to either entertain or intrigue you, dear reader, with each and every post (after this one).