Community Project

NickClapper

NickClapper

My greatest regret, during my time on IndieTalk, has been my failure to get a community project off the ground. We came pretty close with the organ lottery project, but it never quite worked out. The past few days has seen a new member trying to get another community project off the ground, but is, I suspect, going to fall into a number of inevitable traps.

I am currently studying for the final exams of my academic career (*sob*) so am just sitting in libraries all day, every day. I'd like something to break it up a little bit (in addition to the couple of projects I am, slowly, working on). So I've come up with a new way to do a community project.

If you would like to participate in this project as a director (or in a shooting capacity), I need the following information out of you:

What actors are at your disposal? [i.e. two men and a woman]
What locations are at your disposal? [i.e. a house, a bar, an abandoned quarry]
Can you record decent quality sound? [i.e. yes]
Click to expand...

Please be conservative with your responses. In order for this project to be realistic and work, I need to be sure that people can (and will) shoot their scenes in the allocated manner.

Once I have a bunch of participants, I will go away and write a short script that incorporates these various shooting units into a single coherent story. I will ensure that no member has more than a maximum of two days shooting (though generally will try and keep it to what can be done in a single day). If you cannot record decent quality sound, I will give you no dialogue to shoot. Everything will be kept as simple as possible (within the constraints of a very tricky project!) so that we have the maximum chance of success.

Additionally, if you are not willing to direct (or arrange the production of) a shooting unit, there are loads of other roles that are required:

Composer
Editor - individual units should edit their scenes but a central editor will put it all together and try and ensure that the editing matches throughout.
Post-sound
VFX - will not be VFX heavy, but we can incorporate some if there's someone who can supply the talent.
Marketing - with so many cooks, would be great to have someone responsible for pushing the film.
Click to expand...

In order to make this attempt as successful as possible, I will only accept forum regulars into the scheme. New members (and I'm talking people who've only been around a few weeks) are welcome to input and help out, but it is of paramount importance that I know people will stick around and see their unit through to completion.

The deadline for signing up is 18th April 2014, giving people two weeks, after which we will allocate two months (and a bit) to complete production of your scenes, meaning a shooting deadline of 30th June 2014. As I have said, should be no more than a day of filming over the course of two months, so if you can't commit to that then please don't!

I really hope this works, and I think it can. Let me know if you have any thoughts and get signing up!

Current units:
David.rhsc (San Francisco, USA)
cheeseandachallenge (Wellington, New Zealand)
Cracker Funk (Richmond, USA)
wheatgrinder
Flicker Pictures (Boston, USA)
mad_hatter (Birmingham, England)
Dreadylocks (Omaha, USA)
Lucky Hardwood (New Orleans, USA)
ChimpPhobiaFilms (Ohio, USA)

Fence-sitting-maybe-merchants:
WalterB
Dreadylocks
sfoster
mad_hatter
ChimpPhobiaFilms
ItDonnedOnMe
jax_rox
Flicker Pictures

Music team
JoshL
mike mcguill

Sound team
mike mcguill

Sound maybes
AudioPostExpert
Alcove Audio

Marketing maybes
RayW

And remember to fill in this form if you want to have a shooting unit in the film!

(Of course, if you're local to an existing unit, why not team up?)
 
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cheeseandachallenge said:
Anything missed?
Click to expand...
Rights.

Do only the unit directors + Nick have rights to do whatever they want with the finished product?

Do derivative works require prior signed approval?

If/when this ends up on youtube who will be responsible for pursuing it's removal, or is it acceptable to have it and the attached viral video of the UFO re-posted freely?
 
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rayw said:
Walter,

If you're partially alive - I sent the questions to the Global.Movie.Experience gmail account.

Thank you.
And don't die. :)
Click to expand...

I won't.

I meant I senT the answers there. My bad and I'm not even sure anymore whether you could access that account...?
Otherwise: DM me with an email adress so I can add pictures :)
 
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rayw said:
Rights.

Do only the unit directors + Nick have rights to do whatever they want with the finished product?

Do derivative works require prior signed approval?

If/when this ends up on youtube who will be responsible for pursuing it's removal, or is it acceptable to have it and the attached viral video of the UFO re-posted freely?
Click to expand...
My suggestions:

1) I think yes, to keep some form of control over it. Though it could also be fun to make it an "open source" project to the point we encourage any potential fans to be involved in their own version?

2) If in 1), we went for the former suggestion, then yes.

3) We want it to be seen right? I'm not too fussed either way.
 
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Storyboards for Wellington scene

Since this doesn't really just concern cinematography, I'll post here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1cA66qv8T4WZWtmVjk5Y0VTaFk/edit?usp=sharing

We're going to shoot everything on a glidecam, and apart from a few shots, with minimal movement. Don't quite want a handheld look, and the slight drifting feeling of the glidecam can be quite creepy. We'll be using a fogger very subtly to add a little diffusion to the light.

Hopefully this makes sense. It's quite late here, and I've only just finished annotating them.

A few notes:

-I really like the idea of her breath being visible through the scene - but that's going to cause a whole host of continuity issues. The rooms will be inconsistent temperatures as they heat up from lights and people being there - so it'll be hard to actually get Laura's breath on camera as the scene goes on. We could always make her drink something hot/cold (depending on temp of room) prior to each take - but even then it could be inconsistent and is super time consuming.
SO: do I get a few close ups of her breath being visible (potentially confusing if unseen in other shots) or just can it?

-There are two ways we can play the scene in terms of performance: 1) everything is quite slow, contemplative and a bit intense, or 2) be quite high energy, spritely, and a bit cute.
So for example, when she goes into the kitchen, she could 1) Slowly wander through, dawdling a bit, or 2) Kind of bouncy run, trying to keep yourself warm, and making shiver-y noises.
The first makes it more atmospheric, the second more fun and likeable. The second would also make the scene run a lot quicker - and I'm leaning toward it for that reason - but I thought I'd get some opinions.
 
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C&C: That's excellent. Your storyboards (did you do them?) are great and definitely give a feel for what you're going for.

Personally, I think that playing the scene for 'atmosphere' is going to be the most effective route. The film is quite brooding and ominous generally, and I think Laura's thread is one that shows the danger (or impact?) of obsession on a normal person. So I'd be inclined to try and allow the scene to unfold in a way that emphasises the way that Laura has become tangled up in the UFO's story.

But, of course, this is backseat directing. It's your story, so you should tell it in the manner that feels right to you. I think that, visually and production-wise, you seem to have a great grip on what you're doing, so trust your instincts.
 
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Ray, I had a half-thought that you could use a few images from the storyboards in a blog post or something?

----

NickClapper said:
C&C: That's excellent. Your storyboards (did you do them?) are great and definitely give a feel for what you're going for.

Personally, I think that playing the scene for 'atmosphere' is going to be the most effective route. The film is quite brooding and ominous generally, and I think Laura's thread is one that shows the danger (or impact?) of obsession on a normal person. So I'd be inclined to try and allow the scene to unfold in a way that emphasises the way that Laura has become tangled up in the UFO's story.

But, of course, this is backseat directing. It's your story, so you should tell it in the manner that feels right to you. I think that, visually and production-wise, you seem to have a great grip on what you're doing, so trust your instincts.
Click to expand...
Nah, I can't draw at all - my actress actually did them. She was really patient for someone who's not a storyboard artist (though I didn't want to make her redraw stuff when realised I'd missed something, hence it being part shot list, part storyboard).

Yeah, I agree with the merit of playing it more atmospherically. I guess my main concern is that it'd drag the scene on quite a lot longer, in what is already a relatively long short. I also wonder if it'd not work that well with the kind of jump cut sequences (which I imagine in a very Edgar Wright kind of style)? But I'll mull it over with my actress and team.

Oh, and the other thing: is a whistling kettle a bit cliche? Someone on my team questioned the choice of it - alternatively it can be just be a normal kettle boiling noise..
 
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cheeseandachallenge said:
Ray, I had a half-thought that you could use a few images from the storyboards in a blog post or something?
Click to expand...
Excellent idea.

C&P some off the web boilerplate release, let her know that she'll given all credit - unless she is opposed to such, and it's good to go on the blog.


Content!
Content!
Content!

Word of mouth is great but only as good as peeps got something to blab about.

Anyone else got some storyboards, fine or rough - doesn't matter.



CF, d'ju figure a workaround for that UFO painting?

Wheat! Wheat!
Anyone see Wheatgrinder?
Maybe the Heavens Gate aliens got him.
Wheat!
Need some source footage for the UFO, unless we're good with that test shot, and need a spitball runnin' n' gunnin' questionnaire filled out with the happiest glib answers you can throw down.

David, need some quick and dirty answers for your questionnaire, as well.

And has someone volunteered to do the UFO SFX on a source shot?

Time! Time! Time! LOLOLOLOL! :lol:
Everybody wants it. Nobody's got enuf ovit!

(Are we having fun yet?)
 
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Ray, to answer your question, I really prefer that the painting is an accurate representation of the UFO footage. So, at least for now, I'm gonna be patient on that end. I imagine my painter will need probably a week, maybe a week-and-a-half? And then I'll only need a few hours to shoot. Point being, though I'd like to see this project move forward, I don't think we're in crisis-mode yet, at least not as far as my production team is concerned.

Wheaty is a busy guy. He's got a family, a career, and paid filmmaking gigs. I trust that he'll make it happen, and I'm okay with it happening on his schedule. :)
 
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Print a generic release, ask her for permission to place her storyboard images on the project blog for the audience to see what kind of work the collective "we" use to make a short film, if agreeable ask her to please sign the release for said permission.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. ;)

Something a lot like this, minus the scary "exclusive" rights part ( substitute "limited".)
http://www.sampleforms.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/ArtworkReleaseForm.png




David,
Understood.
Life happens.
(Don't) Break a leg! :D
 
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Crap!
The weather forcast for saturday is really bad: lots of rain and possibly thunder.
Our location is extrior on the highest spot of the region...

But the forcast for the next week doesn't look good either :(

Not so cool...
(While I was about to get a name actor on board for this saturday...)
 
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Unfortunate Walter. Looks like we have the same conditions. We don't have much exterior stuff, but we do have some lights outside the window. I better invest in a bunch of tarpaulins I guess..
Is there anyway you can keep hold of your actor?

On another note:
Been discussing with APE and my PSM the audio requirements of using a cable car in my scene instead of a train (something more visually unique and more aurally interesting), and it looks like we can make it happen. Earlier when discussing this, the issue of whether it is feasible for a cable car to be running at 4am. Which, it's not really (not here at least). So can I propose that we change the times a little? This is what we had.
NickClapper said:
San Francisco - 9AM
Richmond - 12PM
Netherlands - 6PM
Wellington - 4AM
Oregon - 9AM
Click to expand...
I would push this forward a little to about 6am - which would address the issue raised of whether or not it is likely that the San Fran douchebags would be at the beach so early. Maybe causes issues for the Netherlands scene?

Alternatively, we don't make the times too specific (I do have my character looking at a clock is all)/presume no one is going to think about the timezones and feasibility of different events at certain times.
 
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I doubt people will scrutinise the timeline too intensely, especially if its clear that we are *roughly* abiding by the laws of time zones! So, yeah, if it helps, I'd be happy for Wellington to be early morning rather than...earlier morning...

re:weather – Obviously, it's a problem if you're not comfortable filming in those conditions (which I totally understand) but the thunder and lighting by the monument could, potentially, look really awesome on film. I always think that inclement weather (particularly rain) is much more naturally cinematic than nice weather. But, obviously it's up to you.

And just to make absolutely sure – Walter, you're clear on the adjustments to the Dutch script that work with the changed version of the NZ scene?

@Ray: Started filling in the questionnaire yesterday and then my computer ran out of juice. Will tackle some more today.
 
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@Nick:
I noticed the changes!

About the weather: I don't like rain.
It's annoying and causing restrictions with the gear.
Plus I don't like my team getting all cold in the middle of nowhere.
(And I can't afford getting a cold: actually I'm still sick at the moment.)

Although lightning looks cool: we'll be shooting at the base of the highest point in at least a 20 mile radius: there is a lot of metal in that contruction.

So: I'm conflicted. Safety is very important.

BTW: timezone is no problem: our scene can be anything between 6pm and 9pm.
 
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WalterB said:
Just a thought on the beginning:

Code: 
INT NEW ZEALAND
Laura sits on the couch doing stuff on her phone while the ambient 
light of the TV flickers

                MALE VOICE FROM TV
                What remarkable video do have to share with us today, Lindsay?

                LINSAY FROM TV
                I found this one this morning.
                It's a UFO video.

                MALE
                UFO?

Laura looks up with sudden interest

                LINDSAY
                Yeah, and it look quite convincing.
                Look how it pulsates...
                And now it's gone.
               
                MALE
                Wow!

                LINDSAY
                The amount of views in going through the roof.

Laura stares with an astonished look on her face

                 MALE
                 Let's watch that again, while you keep quiet for a while

ALIEN VIDEO

BLACK & SILENCE

TITLE

EXT TOKYO SKYLINE & STREETS
                          JAPANESE RADIO/TV
                          Recent footage of a possible alien
                          spacecraft has gone viral
                          overnight.

EXT MOSKOW SKYLINE
                         (in Russian)
                         A more plausible option is that this is a new experimental 
                         aircraft of the Americans

EXT ROTTERDAM SKYLINE
                         (In Dutch)
                         Twitter exploded. Millions of people are discussing it.
                         [I]"Twitter ontplofte gewoon. 
                         Miljoenen mensen hebben het erover."[/I]

EXT PARIS SKYLINE
                         (In French)
                          This footage is either a really
                           well-executed hoax, or the real
                           deal...

EXT LONDON SKYLINE
                         (in Brittsish BBC English)
                         It's pretty ridiculous people believe it's anything 
                         else than a marketing gimmick.
                         Within a week we'll know who behind this 
                         and that will probably be ridiculous as well...
 
EXT SOME SPANISH SKYLINE
                        (in Spanish. [I]Or Portugese if we can get it together 
                         with Rio de Janeiro Skyline[/I])
                        Finally we can say we're not alone in the universe

EXT NEW YORK DAWN
                      PHONECALL ON RADIO
                      I believe in extra-terrestrials,
                      and this is the evidence that I’ve
                      spent fifty years waiting for!

EXT GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE (SF, CA)
Morning traffic jam

                      RADIO
                      Next: a Visual FX Specialist from Hollywood will 
                      explain how he would make such a video but first 
                      we'll listen to the new hitsingle from... (fade out)

EXT SAN FRANCISCO BEACH
(Someone can shut a radio off in the first shot?)

Probably not coded very well: I never really coded script before...


Challenges:
Moskow, Paris and Spanish/Rio skylines for free.
I don't know any portugese speaking persons...
Click to expand...

Update: I might have found someone who speaks Portugese.
I need help from USA, GB and NZ folks for the english voices :)

@C&C:

Do you think you can shoot this openingshot as well:
just in case we will start like this instead of with a globe.
(I would be a day before your scene)

Haven't seen any response to this idea for the opening.
 
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