25
It’s been a while since I did this and I forgot how much it sucks out of a person.
Since Thursday (and honestly, before) I’ve been hard at work on breaking down this highly needed little distraction called FTP. The details are enormous. Finalize the script. Create a shooting script. Create sides for auditions. Do the main break down. Break out V.O. (voice over) sequences. Craft the budget. Create a visual effects shot log notebook. Modify the budget. Gang breakdown scenes into production days - minimize everyone’s daily commitment. Find caterers…
The amount of busy work and organization that goes into a process like this is maddening. I’ve always been obsessive - so I have my templates ready to go that I just need to pop the data into — but aggregating that data is a task all its own. I can’t imagine what this is all like for someone who is naturally less organized - especially considering all the crap you have to have assembled to get your SAG sign off. SAG sign off?
That’s right, kiddies. We never do anything small. No little mini-DV cam off the shelf in a back alley with an air gun, some friends and a bag of popcorn shooting the latest indie crime spree film. No, we had to go and infuse character, and a story, and characters and a story that can’t be pulled off by unexperienced first-time actors and then plan to shoot with a rig that’s like hell to go hand held. Then, we had to go and design the whole thing around a collection of visual effects that pull the story together. Sometimes, I feel that our perfectionist drives will someday be the undoing of us. Then, I have to remember how far it’s gotten us… (no offense to the creators of fine off-the-shelf indie crime spree flicks)
Not to be overtly dramatic or elitist — but this is hard work. It’s always hard work to do anything like this. Why Adrian and I had to go and choose to be auteurs of the most expensive art form in existence boggles my mind. Oh what I’d give to only rely on pen and paper to grasp my craft — and then what I’d never give.
The last couple days as I’ve been going through these lists upon lists I’ve had the chance to start seeing this all come alive inside of my head. That’s exciting. And scary as hell. I imagine that I’ll always feel like this before a shoot — the fear that I really have no idea how to move a camera to tell a story — the fear that everything captured will, in the end, look completely flat and 2-dimensional. That the sound will suck, the weather won’t hold - the sun will blink out of existence the moment we need it most.
I’ve turned back many times. This time, no way in hell.
Oh, and not to forget - happy birthday to my sister (the one who peruses this site pretty often). I should have called her today, but I was wrought with boggling breakdowns and staying late at work to help out through a crisis: one of my direct report-to’s - a senior exec in the company - lost one of his sons on Saturday. Cause of death is still unknown… 
Oh and note: I want to clarify that this post is about us launching into production of For Travis Preston, a short film that we’re producing to serve as a) a needed distraction from myst, and b) another calling card and work reference when we start our battles with Hollywood. I was worried that might be unclear.
11:10 pm
And welcome back to your blog Patrick, good to see you posting again.
Aug 26 2008
Such a huge amount of work goes into making a film! Glad that you’re sticking with it and not giving up.
Really looking forward to seeing this film when it’s released!