Film Update

I took notice here that it has been a month since I have posted on this page which has occurred primarily for two reasons. One, I've been busy putting my writing and typing skills to good work in doing excessive pre-preparation for the beginning of production on this piece. And two, as often happens in film productions, in particular of the independent variety, the schedule for shooting has been bumped back a few times so in this last month we haven't come much closer to beginning shooting. As it stands now the project is tentatively set to begin some time in April (likely during the latter half of the month). Worst case, production will begin at the start of May.

Now being a proactive sort with a metabolism registering over 2000 I often hate delays. I want to just jump in and get to work, which always at some level or another leads to small mistakes and mismatches in scheduling if you don't keep your head focused. But for a project of this nature, the significance of it and the amount of effort it will take to make it everything I desire it to be, I am perfectly fine with the fact that it has been forced to be bumped back a few weeks. And it will work best with my actors, and how they feel in front of the camera is one of the most important things.

In the five or so weeks since I last posted here on this production my focus and drive towards it has only grown stronger, which is always a positive thing. During one of my auditions I expressed that I had the intention of this film being the best thing to come out of the Portland area this year. A fairly lofty statement, but I felt like I was being honest when I said it (as opposed to simply trying to sound overconfident). I have expressed that sentiment more than once since then because I don't believe it to be an unattainable goal. I can express now that I do not have the best equipment in the world but I have what is necessary to make this film beautiful and real. I'm not going to have a budget in the six-figure range (or even the five-figure range) and I'm not going to have elaborate sets or a crew of 100 people. And despite what you may want to believe, those things are not what makes a film truly great. If that were the case then why are there so many great, yet obscure, independent films being made in the Portland area and all over that place that wipe the floor up with much of what is being made out in Hollywood, which is often just a mix of re-expressions of the same stupid ideas. And they have the money, and the elaborate crews and all of that.

I don't need, nor do I want a big crew. Who wants to need to be addressing 20-30 different people, so many people you have to hire more people to go talk with them. Who wants 10-15 people just standing around in case they might be needed. All I want and all I need for this production is a small specific set of people so every necessary position is taken care of and yet it is a small intimate gathering wherein we are not getting on each others nerves and getting in each others way at the same time. For me, as an independent filmmaker, one of the most important things is to make sure everyone involved is comfortable and, equally important, feels like they're needed there so they'll feel more inclined to do their part.

With the storyline I have to work with, the actors that I have been so lucky to bring in, the locations I will be shooting at and (hopefully) the nicer weather rolling in, I see no reason to not shoot for the stars on this one. Even as I was reading through and adjusting the script I found myself being repeatedly reminded of how beautiful the story was and that ideas such as this, with its depth and beauty, don't just pop up in your head every day. This is not a piece of work to slack off on or do just whatever it takes to get by and get the thing done. This is going to take the best of what everyone has to offer. And it's gonna be great!