N.
T. Bullock - Writer/Editor/Director
This
project was three months of constant tedium. I've taken
on quite a few self-inflicted projects since 1999, but this
one I place in a separate category. I would go so far as
to say that this movie was the hardest to pull off technically.
It surpassed "A Glitch in the Matrix" in that
respect.
Originally
I thought it'd be a piece of cake. Sure, I had to learn
how to shoot greenscreen, but that would be the end of it.
Back in November ['04] I ideally thought that we could shoot
this entire thing, edit it together, then shop it out to
animators to fill in the backgrounds and do the compositing
work. I put a very small call-out for animators. This didn't
garner many results, and the results it did get weren't
up to par for what I wanted to do at that point. I quickly
started forming
Plan B...
This
plan was to somehow do the backgrounds ourselves and cut
out the extraneous, obligatory graphic shots altogether.
But, this also meant that I had to learn how to actually
composite the video. This took about 2-3 weeks of research
and 5 rounds of greenscreen tests. It was time consuming.
Nothing else was really being done on the project, as far
as props and costumes, at this point because I didn't want
to waste anyone's time if I didn't feel we could pull it
off. But, after those few weeks I felt confident we could
do it. Admittingly, because I found scifi3d.theforce.net
With
the help of scifi3d we now had plenty of backgrounds to
use. We didn't have them all, but we had most everything
we would need. But, this meant I had to learn how to use
3D Studio Max. Scifi3d basically has a lot of downloadable
Star Wars environments through which you can move a 3D camera.
This replaced my CG background artists for the most part.
So,
we were back on track with Plan B, but this plan was MUCH
more time consuming and involved than what I originally
had in mind. I basically had to composite around 70 shots
by myself. The script was being written early on in the
research period. It shaped up quickly - maybe a week or
so for the rough draft. I promptly contacted my stable of
talent once the script was a go. Everything was steady work
from that point.
The
rest is history... or at least that's how I'm going to bring
this to a close. We learned, we laughed, and we succeeded
in our goal. Case closed. On to the next project...
-
NTBullock
ERIC
KOHN - Writer/Asst. Ed./Dir.
I've been at least marginally involved with Sequential Pictures
for a few years now, I guess. Very minor stuff really, up
until "A Glitch in the Matrix" when I got a little
more involved. But this project represents my biggest involvement
yet, and I'm just really thankful to have had the opportunity
to be a part of it. Throughout the writing, preproduction,
production, and post-production phases, I feel like it was
a real collaboration in the truest sense of the word, and
I want to thank Todd for inviting me in on this.
What
a project! We learned a lot and managed to have a lot of
laughs in the process. The biggest element of this project
was undoubtedly the introduction of greenscreen technology
into the SP arsenal, and I've got to say that I'm really
impressed with what Todd accomplished there. Frankly, I
had my doubts when Todd first pitched this idea to me. "I
want to do it ALL with greenscreen," he said. I sort
of had one of those Dr. Evil moments of --- "Riiiiiiiiiiiight."
But in true N.T. Bullock form, he dived right in head first
and made it happen. Technological issues aside, it really
changed the way we worked as a "film crew." Before
this, SP was almost a "guerilla filmmaking" operation,
snagging locations when and where we could. This project
was much more controlled, allowing us to pretty much set
up shop in one location (thank you, Anthony) and concentrate
more on the actual filmmaking side of things instead of
having to worry about the variables of location and weather,
etc. I don't know how much of this kind of thing SP will
be doing in the future, but the great thing is that it's
available now if it's needed.
I
loved working with the usual SP suspects again, and it was
also great having Jeromy (an old bandmate of mine and longtime
friend) and Michelle bring some new blood into the SP "family."
I also had the pleasure of meeting Matthew Magee and Jared
Hopkins, who are a couple of really great, funny guys. And
as always -- Scott, Clayton, Anthony, Sarah.... You guys
are the best. And Ms. Judy, your costumes really tied the
whole thing together. Thanks for humoring us and putting
up with it all. Couldn't have pulled it off without you.
As
for Star Wars --- I confess I'm a lifelong Star Wars geek,
and I'll always have a soft spot for those classic original
movies. And despite everything, I do believe that the prequels
have their place. No one can blame Mr. Lucas for making
the films HE wants to make. But for my money, it doesn't
get any better than the original trilogy. And so, Mr. Lucas
will just have to indulge us cantankerous old fans if we
"give him the business" once in a while. At the
end of the day, he still manages to end up with my money
in his pocket.
Thanks,
and enjoy.
Eric
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