My People
September 25, 2010: My People’s People on the big screen
Last night I had the pleasure of screening My People’s People, at the Video Underground in Jamaica Plain. I had only put the final touches on it a week ago Wednesday. It was a great sense of accomplishment to complete the project. It was even a greater sense of accomplishment to see it screened in front of a live audience.
My enjoyment increased as I watched the audience being entertained by the movie. Though I felt I had made something good, it was good to get a positive reaction from the neutral crowd. I will have more screenings later in the fall to combine with my book launch.
The road is so long for some artistic endeavors, and sometimes in the middle of it all, the end is nowhere in sight. However, I am passed that stage and it is a great time for me as all my current projects will be completed this year. I have another short film in its final phases, and my book Above the Line is in its final draft.
The toughest part of any creative project is completion. Ideas are a dime a dozen, everyone has them, some more than others. An idea is similar to a seed; it needs work and care. If you give it the proper amount of attention, it will yield fruit. That is where I am at now, and it feels great.
September 17, 2010: My People’s People Is Finished and Not a Moment too Soon
With the hourglass ticking, and just a few grains of sand left before the final deadline I managed to complete my movie My People’s People, and enter it into Sundance with a day to spare. The last component was the music. I had a hard time conveying my vision to my composers. As I was headed toward the finish line a good friend and colleague stepped up to help complete the movie.
Once I knew the music would be ready, I raced around trying to find an editor to drop the music in and make some other minor editing changes. I wasn’t having much luck until I posted my predicament on Facebook. As soon as I put the word out several rescue offers were made. By Wednesday afternoon I had the final product on DVD, and in my hand. Yesterday I express mailed it to the festival office in L.A.
The joy I experienced upon completion of the project was overwhelming. I am happy about it for several reasons. The act of completing any project is an achievement in itself, especially when it comes to movies. The movie business has such an air of uncertainty and I have seen many movies blow up before, during or after production. It is always an achievement for anyone to finish, especially when operating from a microscopic budget.
I am also very happy with the final product. The movie looks great, the actors nailed their roles and the crew did a great job. There will be a sneak Preview on September 23, 2010 at the Video Undergound in Jamaica Plain at 385 Centre St. at 8:00 PM. This will be the first of many screenings.
The other great news about finishing My People’s People is that I am now free to move onto the next project. I am in the final draft of my bookAbove the Line, which should be complete late this fall. I have self-imposed a deadline for release at Thanksgiving. I will burrow down on my computer keys, put my blinders on, and complete the book. Lets put the coffee on, it’s time to go to work.
July 23, 2010: Stills from My People’s People
My People’s People is still in post-production. In the meantime I thought I would whet your appetite with a few stills from the shoot. The stills were pulled directly from the Red Camera that I shot on. I love the look from the Red Camera and it does a great job to mimic film.
The final product shouldn’t be too long, I am passed the clubhouse turn and in the home stretch. Mid-August is the early Sundance deadline and that’s my first goal. It would be OK if I wasn’t ready by then, I still have time, but if I can save fifteen bucks, why not?
The current phase is the music; I’m in the heat of the process and trying to get the right track to open the movie. I only need about 40 seconds of intro, but it is the icing on the cake and it needs to be perfect.
The last part of the equation will be color correction and then ready for viewing. It’s really great to have it come together so well and so soon, especially given the scope of the budget. So enjoy the slide show and I’ll keep you posted.
July 16, 2010: Lenny Manzo Update
My People’s People should be finished shortly. The last element of music will be applied soon, followed by the titles and then voila, fini. After which I will seek recognition in the festival world. I am quite pleased with the look of the film, my cinematographer Beecher Cotton, did an excellent job and the piece is beautiful. A premier will be announced in the near future. Next week I’ll be posting a slide show of the shoot to give you a glimpse of the final product.
Other news for yours truly is a small milestone. I have just completed draft four of my new book. I have been writing it for the last eight months now and every draft completion feels like a new plateau on a mountain trek. This draft is very tight, but still needs work. I don’t have a launch date yet, lets just say it will be sooner than later and I’m shooting for the end of the summer.
I completed the first draft in less than a month. I thought at that rate I would have been finished by spring. Editing a book is a lot more tedious then editing a movie. Every paragraph is under the microscope, it all must flow and connect. It will only be launched once, so it must be done right. Thanks everyone for your continued support, I will of course keep you posted.
June 30, 2010: My People’s People Is Now Picture Locked
After only four editing sessions of four hours each, My People’s People is now picture locked. Once I got into the rhythm with my editor it flowed almost like wine. I knew what I wanted and my nature is make quick decisions in the editing room. I sort out the bad takes, whittle it down two, compare them and make a decision. Rendering and software glitches are what take the most time.
I purposely kept the takes on the low side during the shoot. I knew I didn’t want to sift through a ton of material in post-production. It kept my shoot day shorter and it lightened the work load during post. The actors were well rehearsed and that certainly paid dividends in the end. The only time they slipped was at the end of the day due to fatigue.
The sound has been cleaned up and it all matches well. The next step is the sound design and to some music composition. After that I will add the credits and I am done and ready to hit the festival circuit. I am very happy with the results and I am excited to show it.
The final product is a result of all the work that went into pre-production. That is where the movie gets made. If all the correct steps are taken before hand, the result is like a math equation where there can only be one correct answer.
April 28, 2010: How to Make a Short Movie Part VII: My People’s People, in the Can
The alarm went off at 5:15 AM, and I was on set by 6:30. We shot 9 pages of dialogue in 11 hours, a good job by anyone’s standards. It took another hour to wrap, return some gear and unload my car. After some more odds and ends I was done by 10 PM and sleeping by five after.
I have to tell you it went like butter. I attribute the success of the day’s events to the amount of work that I put in during pre-production. Alfred Hitchcock always maintained that the movie is made in pre-production, that is where the vision is flushed out and all the steps are taken to make sure everything is in place when the time comes to shoot.
My actors, Chris McCabe and BJ Ray were well rehearsed. The piece is completely dialogue driven, with a lot of banter and a few tongue twisters. They rarely faltered and nailed take after take, and because they were spot on I was able to move through the day like a fish in the sea.
Another bright spot was the great group of professionals that came together to support my vision. I put together a crew of highly competent, extremely enthusiastic and very experienced people, who brought with them not only their knowledge, but a great attitude. Having a positive vibe on the set lays the groundwork for the creativity to flow and the magic to happen.
Most of the background artists came through facebook. Some were veteran actors, while others had their first-ever movie experience. The social network made it to easy fill out the scene. Without the background the dialogue would still be funny, but the background artists enhanced the scene and gave it life. Extras are often an under rated part of the process.
The beautiful restaurant location was the foundation for the movie. The proper setting allowed us to create this world. My production designer provided a four by eight brick wall to connect to the pre-existing wall. That small piece of construction saved the day. A few pieces of lettuce, a couple bowls of soup and some crangrape juice for wine were enough props to make the restaurant feel real.
With the movie in the can, actually resting on the hard drive. I will take a few days to recoup from the last week’s work and the short sleep. I am tired but very happy knowing I got what I set out to get. Thanks again to one and all who helped.
April 15, 2010: How to Make a Short Movie Part VI: My People’s People
Today I had to pull a tool out of my handy dandy producer’s magic bag of tricks. I was all set to shoot Monday, April 19, but the camera was unavailable. I tried getting an alternate camera and some things were coming together, but I couldn’t find another camera that would have given me the same look as the Red Camera. Miraculously the Red became available for the following week. I checked with my key personnel and my talent, and since there were no conflicts I pushed the shoot date to the following week. It’s okay to push when everyone can push with you.
Besides pushing for equipment reasons, it’s great to have another week of prep time. It gave me time to line up more sponsors and to fill out all the remaining crew positions. My actors will also get an extra rehearsal because of it. I have one more tech scout to do with my assistant director, I need to arrange for a few more pieces of equipment, arrange the lunch, and I’m all set.
The rehearsal last week went rather well. The actors know their lines and we flushed out the script experimenting with props and eating food during the scene. It is nice to give the actors some business to do while delivering the lines. It felt appropriate and we used the props to accentuate the script not use them for the sake of it. The actor’s contribution was highly important here as they did what felt natural and comfortable.
I can’t say enough about how important it is to be flexible when making a movie. Whether it is adjusting the shoot date or letting the actors mix it up a little in rehearsal to find something that could work. When you get locked into anything that rigidity causes trouble. You need to bend, so you don’t break.
April 7, 2010: How to Make a Short Movie Part V: My People’s People
I am pulling the final pieces together for my movie. I met with the Costume designer and actors to discuss the look of the film. With only two speaking rolls, the wardrobe will not be a laborious task. Two men outfitted in 2 suits, all the background artists will bring their own clothes. The Designer has suits in her kit, if not I would have approached any of ton of clothing stores with the opportunity for their wardrobe to appear in a movie.
Another one of my production staff is working on other donated items needed for the shoot, most importantly the lunch and snacks. Since my colleagues are donating their time I am putting together some nice amenities through sponsors, saving the production money and give something to the crew to show my respect and appreciation.
We have streamed lined the equipment list to basic necessities. Less gear means less work, less work means more time to shoot. Efficiency is key. Certainly with only one day in one location it will not be a big issue, but you can’t let your guard down for a minute and think you have too much time. You must proceed methodically and stay on schedule. If something goes wrong that is what the extra time is for.
I am checking in with all my other keys this week to see what their needs are. Again since they are helping me it is up to me to keep the lines of communication going. The crew people are also sharing info with each other to help paint the picture that I have designed. Thirteen days and counting, you can never have too much prep time…
March 24, 2010: Article 4: My People’s People: Tech Scout
The shoot is beginning to pick up momentum. Even though I have given myself a month to prep my five-minute movie, I already feel the clock ticking. Time is so precious when it comes to filmmaking. When I finally got in touch with my director of photography (DP) Tuesday evening and he was available to come out to the location the next morning, without any hesitation I changed my plans to accommodate that.
The production designer, the DP and I took a look at the location yesterday. As with any location we had figure out the right way to get the most out of it. The Blue Ox has two nice rooms and I have decided to break up the dialogue in order to utilize the whole look of the restaurant. Using the second room with the bar and the open kitchen really increases the production value. I considered shooting the actors walking and talking from the table to the bar. Even though it could have been a nice shot, I chucked it because it didn’t really add much to the movie and it will save us at least 90 minutes by avoiding that extra shot.
We discussed the look of the restaurant and agreed we don’t have much to change besides rearranging a couple of paintings on the wall. We hemmed and hawed about linen on the table. The tables were nice enough which out weighed the expense of renting linen. This is strictly a low budget affair so the added expense was easily tossed out. If the tables did not have the sharp look I was looking for, I would have had to figure out how to get the linen in some inexpensive manner. It is important to go with what you have if it fits the bill. I have worked on many Hollywood movies where they rent a location and take out all the furniture just to bring in furniture that is practically the same.
There are many ways to save money. By having a lot of time to plan it allows me to make deals, seek sponsors and solicit help. If I rush the shoot it will cost me more or the production will be compromised. One issue I am currently facing is the availability of my DP, who has a tentative prior commitment. He is available the week before, but then I would be rushing. I would rather postpone for weeks than start earlier. The axiom is good, fast or cheap, you can only pick 2.
March 23, 2010: Article 3: The Blue Ox
My project is moving along quite well. I heard a lot about a restaurant in Lynn, MA called The Blue Ox. I checked it out Saturday afternoon and it will be perfect for the shoot. It is a nice restaurant that suits the script perfectly. Originally I had the 2 actors at a table the entire time. Upon seeing The Blue Ox, I redesigned the second half to have movement along the bar in order to make the most of this beautiful restaurant.
One of the key factors in making a movie is to not get locked into your idea, being open to change allows the script to grow in ways not yet conceived. In the preliminary stages I will confer with my key personnel, I am always open to suggestions. That is why I use the people I use, to glean from their collective experience.
The other big new is that I have my actors now. I initially booked 30 for the preliminary auditions. I had a 20% no show rate and out of the remaining actors I called back 10. This time all present and accounted for, the first pair blew me out the door and there was no looking back. The other actors I saw were also good but there was some chemistry in the first pair that worked out in the luck of the draw.
I started making calls to my key personnel today and fortunately they are available. I have been working with the same people for years. It has become a huge comfort zone for me to have the same cast of characters at my back. Rehearsals will start next week and I will simultaneously start putting all the little pieces together to make the dream come true.
For more information about The Blue OX go to www.blueoxlynn.com
March 10, 2010: My People’s People: Auditions and Locations
I’m knee deep in pre-production for my up coming short film. The auditions went well, I’m calling back twenty per cent for the second audition. The actors gave me their own interpretation of the script first, and then I adjusted them and let each actor go through the bit several times. I gave them an opportunity to loosen up to be comfortable in order to get the most out of them.
I did have a twenty per cent no show rate. I will compensate for that next time by scheduling more actors per hour. We had only scheduled 4 per hour; it was fine this time because in between actors I discussed other logistics with my production staff. In the future I will schedule 6 to 8 per hour.
Simultaneously I have been searching for a location. I am looking for a restaurant that is closed at least once a week so they will not be losing money during the shoot. I will offer them a credit and naming their location: “Filmed on location at Joe’s Generic Restaurant in X-Town MA.” I will also be putting them on the web page as a sponsor. If I could get them to throw in a pre-made lunch it would be a grand slam.
The next step is the callbacks; I will have them read with each other, for two reasons. The first is shear economics; I want to save the time so I can move onto my other tasks. As we know time is a commodity and in some circles viewed as money. Secondly and more importantly I want to see if there is a combination that can gel together and form some chemistry. By having the actors read together it might make my choice clearer.
Since I am spending very little money I have to do it one step at a time, only after I have secured my actors and location I will begin to crew up. If there was more money I could push faster. There is an old axiom in this business; good, fast, cheap, you can only pick two.
February 16, 2010: My People’s People: The Process Begins
I am in pre-production directing my first narrative short. I will take you through the process as I put the pieces together. As I advise most would be directors, it is important to start off with a short before attempting a feature, this way one can understand the whole process and learn the labyrinth of production on a small scale.
I have designed the shoot to be simple. It is a comedy so it doesn’t matter how big it is as long as it’s funny, and it is funny. The script is only 4 pages, and I made it short for two reasons. Since it is a favor driven shoot and an all volunteer crew, it makes it easier for people to sign on to the project since it is going to be shot in only one day. Later when people are viewing it online they will be more inclined to watch it because it is less than 5 minutes. The public has a short attention span, which is getting shorter by the day. If they see something that is upwards of 8 or 9 minutes they are less likely to watch it.
I need two actors, one location (restaurant), a few extras, crew, gear and some amenities for everyone, as it is a volunteer gig. Again, I wrote it with the idea of keeping everything to a minimum. I can pull this off for relatively no money (under $500.00) and still have a professional looking piece to gain further recognition.
As a producer you must pool all your resources together, ask favors and call any markers you have in the world to get your project done. Don’t store up favors for the future, the idea of saving so and so for the big one later is not practical. Later does not exist. Use all tools available to you now to make it happen.
I have posted ads for actors and contacted casting companies that will post my information. I am collecting headshots to sift through so that I can weed out the faces that don’t fit the roll. I am going to set up auditions for next week. I am fortunate that my regular DP (director of photography) is available, his website is www.beechercotton.com. If you do not have a DP, post an ad and check out his or her reel. Find someone who is like-minded to help you create your vision. The DP is the right arm of the director; if there is not a clear understanding between the director and the DP there will be problems.
The purpose of making a short film besides expressing myself artistically is to gain experience as a narrative director, make others aware of my work and use it as a calling card. Another goal of this project is to share the process with you so you can have an understanding of the nuts and bolts of production.
