I Ran Against Us [COMPLETED]

[ntbullock]

Got done with the shot list tonight and made revisions to the latest script. My brain is dead now. I'll re-read through the shot list tomorrow to glance for obvious mistakes, and then I'm headed down to NO. We've got a full day Saturday. Now Jared can work on the shooting schedule. That'll be his next headache. ;]

[ntbullock]

I went to NO and came back... and I go back Wednesday. From there we'll have rehearsals and such. We've still got locations and a few more very minor roles to fill.

I made revisions to my shot list and the script. That version is being sent out to everyone and Jared just started working on the schedule. The shot list ended up being around 18 pages long. I may do a little storyboarding if I have time, but between auditions, rehearsals, production meetings, and tests I may not have time.

I feel good about the crew and cast. Good people so far.

[ntbullock]

Made it to New Orleans. Tomorrow I'm supposed to meet with my DP and possibly my AD too. We're going through my starting-point shot list. There's still a good bit to put together but everyone is excited. Rehearsals are Saturday and our lead actor is flying in Friday.

[ntbullock]

Met with Nate, our cinematographer, and Mike D, our 1st assistant director, today and started on the shot list. It was a good start and we're "getting on the same page." We have a tech scout Sunday where we hit every location and go through the scenes. We'll get together early that day and try to knock some more of the shot list off.

Saturday is going to be hella busy. We've got a lot of wardrobe and makeup meetings and a read through with most of the cast.

We're still procuring some tricky locations and props at this point. But, we are 95% cast.

Jared and I are up late working on the schedule.

[ntbullock]

VERY busy day with wardrobe, makeup, and hair. We had a full read through with most of the cast and finally a lot of our actors got to meet in person.

I was able to get in some time with certain actors and dig into some of the scenes, which will save a ton of directing time on the day of shooting. We had some good workshopping today. Feel good 'bout it.

Tomorrow is a tech scout and a production meeting. I've got a meeting with our two main principles for more workshopping tomorrow [SUNDAY] night and more of the same with the girls Tuesday. There's never a shortage of shit to do... ... tired.

Started an album at myspace.com/ntbullock for pics from my iphone.

[ntbullock]

Busy couple of days. Worked with our two main principles and hammered out a lot of their scenes. I work with the female cast Tuesday. Mostly Monday I was bouncing back and forth between wardrobe, working with actors, getting a bomb prop going, and loose ends. I also did a little work on the script. Some dialogue has been adapted to our actors. We start shooting Wednesday.

Tech scout went fine. We are still trying to nail down our finale location. A little stressful.

[ntbullock]

Finally about to start production. We've got to wake up at 5:15 and it's now three in the morning... Just now laying down. Very busy day with location scouting, rehearsals, set dressing, etc.

Maybe I'll be able to get more sleep when I crash next.

[ntbullock]

aaaaaand now I'm up. It begins.

[ntbullock]

Long work day, but I could've gone longer. We got just did get everything shot we had originally planned to shoot on the first day even after a 2 hour setback with the Brevis system. It just needed cleaning and fine tuning. But, the footage looks great so far. Rewarding day. I think we found our rhythm today.




Does it show I've only had 3 hours of sleep?

[ntbullock]

Another good day. Found our rhythm. The schedule is daunting but this crew is fantastic. Everyone is doing great work. We're spoiled. :)

[ntbullock]

17 hour day. Brain dead. The only way to describe today would be "drawn and quartered."

[ntbullock]

Just got back a little bit ago. About a 17 hour day. We're not behind the shooting schedule but only because the crew stayed hours late and finished the day.

It's looking great. I'm tired but it's worth it. What's ridiculous is how ambitious this movie is considering we thought we were writing a simple coffee shop film.

[ntbullock]

Latest day yet. Just got back not too long ago. Very long day. We got some beautiful footage today. We shot our very last scene that involved a wall that had to be built and had greenscreen to contend with. It looks fantastic. The gag worked well. It took everybody we had on set [around 15 people] to pull the effect off.

We've stayed many hours late the past three nights and not one person had complained. It means the world to us. I feel like most everybody is having fun with it.

I totally would've crashed and burned from exhaustion by now if it weren't for the fact that everyone is doing a great job and the footage looks great.

We even had to stop a scene early because we had an issue with our 35mm adapter. I have to call the company, which is in Canada, and fig out this issue. We have off Tuesday, so hopefully we can overnight something if we have to.

[ntbullock]

Up at 9 this morning and just now getting in bed at 6:40 the next. Long ass day.

[ntbullock]

Had off on Tuesday. Thank goodness. We crammed everything in for Monday at lightening speed. Unfortunately, there's no way to get this movie done on the 12 hour a day schedule. There's just too much. Everyone seems excited about working for the most part. Hats off to them.

Tuesday was spent location scouting and planning. We also went out to eat twice and relaxed a bit.

I know I needed a break. Your brain just turns to mush after awhile. I wish we had more time to prepare for scenes and rehearse, but there's just not enough money for the time to do that. We have so much going against us, but at the same time we've got a great crew who dedicates their time and many elements have fallen into place. We'll have great production value for the amount of money that's gone into it. We're very fortunate.

[ntbullock]

Started around nine this morning and just now getting done. The worst of the schedule is over apparently. Every day was tough. Now the days should be tough but manageable. There's so much work left to do...

[ntbullock]

Today went well. We actually got done in twelve hours. Tomorrow we start at seven and shoot until sunrise.

[ntbullock]

Just now getting into bed. Long night and we didn't get everything we'd like. Going back at seven pm again.

[ntbullock]

Started at 7pm yesterday and we just got back home a little bit ago. We've got more night shoots. Frustrating day.

[ntbullock]

Just getting to bed. One more night shoot and we start second unit. Today went well. Some of the actors didn't want to leave set after they were wrapped. Good feeling.

[ntbullock]

Finished principle photography. Now on to second unit material which won't involve as many people. These past two weeks have been trying but I've learned a good deal and met some great people.

[ntbullock]

Today we really start organizing what we have left to shoot. It's more than we'd like but the shooting schedule we had was quite daunting to say the least - something had to give.

What we did get looks great, we feel, and we're excited about cutting it. There's a ton left to do. We bought three Seagate terabyte hard drives for triple redundancy and they are half full. So, we have about 500 gigs of footage. We shot in 24pn and that saved some space.

We'll probably head back to Hattiesburg early next week. I've got a bit of client work to get out of the way once I return, but then we'll go full steam ahead.

[ntbullock]

Today we started the shooting schedule for second unit. We shot a lot of slow motion running shots in the streets with our two principle actors. Our lead actor, "Griff" Hood, is leaving us tomorrow, and our lead actress is going out of town for the weekend. I hope we have what we need. I think we do.

Strange stuff to shoot tomorrow. It's not everyday you have a porta-potty delivered to your house so you can shoot something in it... uh,... never mind. Hopefully we'll be done Monday.

Oh, and my backpack with all my personals fell out of the production van and disappeared into the Orleans night before our quick return. It could have been worse though. Much worse.

[ntbullock]

Second day of second unit shooting. We shot out the rest of one of our side characters, Brad, today - played by Matt Madden. We only had two pages to shoot, but there were a few company moves. Hot as hell today.

Jared and I still haven't decompressed at all from the shoot. Almost there. Here's a snag from one of the P2 cards. No correction or balancing - just right off the card...

[ntbullock]

Oh my God. Kill me. My sleeping schedule has been brutalized. Four days of night shoots. A few days of random shooting and then we just got back from a shoot that started at 1:30 am and ended at 10:00 am. We have to wake up around lunch [in two hours] to move furniture out of our main location we shot last week. Then we shoot tomorrow morning. My eating is off too. My body doesn't know what the hell is going on, and quite honestly I don't even know what to tell it anymore. There's no more lying. I've taken it on a trip that it wasn't prepared for.

That being said... we got some good footy this morning, and we are getting close to being done. It's looking like we'll be shooting Tuesday too, though.

We've also been trying to cut together a teaser trailer in between all this because we know we won't have much time once we start the real edit.

[ntbullock]

Today was our last long day of second unit. We shot two new actors and some green screen. We started around eleven and got done around nine tonight. The day would've gone quicker with a full crew, but we're only staffed with essentials and those who could manage.

Monday night, today technically, we shoot some rooftop sniper business, but it's not too much. I may come home afterwards or Wednesday morning. I've got a commercial that's been waiting for me to edit since I left and two commercials to shoot Thursday possibly.

[ntbullock]

We shot our last scheduled bit tonight. I am getting the hard drives backed up and packing to go home. I've got some commercial business to get out of the way for when Jared and I start post sometime Sunday. He's going to get some city shots before he comes up to Hattiesburg.

[ntbullock]

I've been back home for a few days trying to get everything settled. Paying bills, washing clothes, cleaning up, getting up with my clients, catching up, and getting things out of the way as much as possible. Jared is coming up tomorrow [Sat.] and we have to put some timetable / game plan together.

[ntbullock]

Jared got here last night. We are getting things settled. We'll order our new Mac G5s this week and we'll be picking our shots to start with. We might try and have the wrap party this week in New Orleans, too.

[ntbullock]

We've been swamped with trying to get everything organized and to a point where we can really bite into this thing. I've gotten a lot of client work out of the way and Jared has been tidying up loose ends as well. I've cut 4 or 5 commercials since I've been back, so there's been no shortage of shit to do. We set up Jared's half of the office. It's ridiculous. He went out and bought the exact desk and shelves as I have, so it looks like we're twinkies. Gayest thing ever... in a good way - the good way, right?

We're headed back to New Orleans tomorrow [today actually] for the wrap party and are headed back early Friday morning after we get another sunrise shot for the movie.

We are about to order our new Mac G5s in a minute. I still haven't sold my current G5. Money seems to be falling out our damn pockets. We'll have to start stripping again I guess. Those were the good days anyway.

We've almost got the two minute teaser trailer finished.