Hardcore: A Rock Opera Production Blog

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . still here . . .

2009-04-04T00:33:00.000-07:00

Just letting you know I'm still here. I'm in heavy production on DORM and heavy post on Reaper, so Hardcore has taken a back seat this semester. I intend to finish it and submit it to film festivals this year.

Still Here

2008-08-09T22:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, this blog is still active. :-) Still working on Hardcore. I'm hoping to get a final cut by October. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks so much for your patience.

Priorities, Priorities . . .

2008-05-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry everyone, but Hardcore is on the back burner for a while. I'm in post-production on two feature films, and I'm in pre-production on two other feature films, one of which is shooting in August, the other in September. Once I finish principal photography on those films, I'll go back and create a final cut of Hardcore. Expect to receive a DVD in December, and expect to see Hardcore in festivals in spring of 2009. The DVD will come complete with the eleven-minute Festival Cut, the sixteen-minute Director's Cut, an outtake reel, and possibly a brief making-of featurette. Thanks so much for waiting.

Wow

2008-04-30T02:44:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Rich and Randy for putting me in touch with David!

Today I spoke with the former head of MTV Films, who saw Hardcore and loved it! He complemented the performances especially, so I thought I'd pass that on to you. He asked for a copy of the film which he could show around to some people at MTV, and I of course readily obliged. Not to get anyone's hopes up, because the situation probably won't grow into anything more than simply him complementing us on our work, but still . . . I'm crossing my fingers and hoping this turns into something!!!

Give me a call if you want to talk more about it!

See you at the screening!

2008-04-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

Friday, April 25th, 7:00pm. Arrive early for good seats. Attire is semi-formal. Refreshments will be served. Screenings end at approximately 10:30pm. Call or e-mail me for directions, or if you have any other questions. :-D

Fair Notice

2008-04-16T14:04:00.000-07:00

The cut of Hardcore you'll be seeing next Friday is a butchered cut. A snug, concise cut of the film clocks in at about eleven minutes. And that's after deleting a load of stuff. But for the screening, I had to trim it down to ten minutes, which probably isn't as devestating for you as it is for me, but I just wanted to warn you that the cut you will see on April 25th is not a completely ideal cut of the film. The pace is relentlessly fast. It still works well, however, and I'm really happy with how it turned out.

The Screening

2008-04-10T15:08:00.000-07:00

Hardcore will screen to a 300+ audience on Friday, April 25th, at 7:00pm. The screening will be held at UCF, in the Visual Arts Building (right across the street from the Communications Building. I don't know the room number, but don't worry about getting lost, once you enter the building, there's no way you can miss it. A facebook group is set up, and you'll all receive invitations there as well! See you at the screening! :-)

The Game Plan

2008-04-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

There will be three cuts of Hardcore:

1. The UCF Cut. You'll see this one at the screener on April 25th. It will be about ten minutes long, so please don't be upset if some of your scenes are cut from the film. For the strongest, most effective cut, some sacrifices must be made.

2. The Festival Cut. Because I unfortunately won't have time to make a super-refined cut by the deadline this semester, I'll take some time over summer to edit a Festival Cut. This will also be about ten minutes long, and very similar to the UCF cut. I'll send this one out to festivals across the country.

3. The Director's Cut. Fifteen unabridged minutes of Hardcoreness. For the viewing pleasure of the cast and crew. This will be on a DVD with outtakes, the Festival Cut, and possibly a brief "Making Of" featurette. Everyone involved with the project will get a copy in November 2008.

Second Cut Screenings

2008-03-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

After a three-week hiatus, post-production on Hardcore is back into the swing of things, with a second cut near completion, and a few test screenings scheduled next week (give me a call if you'd like to attend).

Also, at your convenience, I'd like to re-record some dialogue with the following actors:

-Isaac
-Katie
-Ali
-Priscilla
-Blair
-Kevin (Kevin, I'd still prefer to re-record your song, if you have three hours to spare any time in the coming weeks.)

I can meet you where you live, or if you're in the area, you can stop by my place. [The advantage of stopping by my place is that you get to see a cut of the film.] It should take about half an hour for lead roles, and ten minutes for supporting roles. Let me know if/when we can set up a time.

Thank you!

Title Change?

2008-03-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking of changing the film's title from "Hardcore: A Rock Opera" to simply "Hardcore." I always felt the "A Rock Opera" subtitle was odd, but without it the title just sounds like porn. Any thoughts?

Rich, for getting accepted into the maximum number of festivals, what do you recommend?

Withoutabox

2008-03-04T22:33:00.000-08:00

Hardcore is registered with Withoutabox.com, which can be used to quickly submit a film to more than 90% of the film festivals that exist.

(Rich, where on Withoutabox is the D3 Screening "Film Festival" to which we are supposed to apply?)

Rough Cut Screening

2008-02-27T08:45:00.000-08:00

A rough cut of Hardcore is complete, and was screened in class today to rave reviews. It still needs a lot of work, but initial reactions are very positive. The cast especially got a lot of praise from the professors! If anyone wants to stop by my place and check out the rough cut, you're welcome to. (I recommend waiting until the final cut, though.)

Director Evaluation

2008-02-20T09:25:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! The production photos are on facebook for you to check out at your convenience. Thanks Addison for sacrificing your presence in any of the photos to snap tons of great shots.

The rest of this post is geared toward the actors.

After every production, I like to get the actors' feedback on my directing, so I can improve my directing skillz in the future. Below is a form of questions you can use - if you'll please take the time to fill it out and offer feedback, I would greatly appreciate it. Just e-mail me with your responses at filmsoutsidethebox@yahoo.com, or feel free to respond anonymously by posting a reply here on blogger. Your answers don't have to be long and pithy; short responses are good too as long as they're genuine. This form isn't a necessity, but if you have the time, and are willing to offer constructive criticism, thank you very much.

And please, be brutally honest.

DIRECTOR EVALUATION FORM
HARDCORE: A ROCK OPERA

Name:

Role Played:

1.) Did I sell the project to you? Were you convinced during the making of the film that we were creating a solid, professional product? If not, what did I do or fail to do that caused you to doubt how the finished film would turn out?

2.) How was the casting experience? What, if anything, should I change for my next audition?

3.) Was there sufficient rehearsal time prior to shooting? What, if anything, should I change about the rehearsal process? If you did not have a rehearsal, do you feel one was needed?

4.) How did I treat you and the other actors on set? Were you treated with respect, as professionals? Was the environment on/around set conducive to performance?

5.) Did you trust me? What did I do or fail to do to build/earn your trust?

6.) If I resorted to result-oriented direction, was it warranted? Do you feel we should have delved deeper into your character's particular psyche and dynamics?

7.) Do you feel I trusted you with your character, or did I keep too strict of a reign on your performance? Or, on the other end of the spectrum, was I not specific enough, and should I have elaborated more at any time?

8.) What are my directing strengths?

9.) What are my directing weaknesses?

10.) What was the best part about working on this production, and specifically working with me as a director?

11.) What was the worst part about working on this production, and specifically working with me as a director?

12.) Would you work with me again?

13.) If you answered yes to the above question, would you like me to e-mail you, and keep you informed about casting for future projects of mine? In the next year, I will be directing two feature films (a comedy and a sci-fi drama), and a thesis short film (a drama).

14.) On a scale of 1 - 10 (1 being worst, 10 being perfect), how would you rate my performance in terms of my creative, administrative, and command duties?

15.) Any other comments you would care to offer?

THANK YOU!!!

Post Production

2008-02-15T23:16:00.000-08:00

Hey All,

Editing is coming along - I should have a rough cut by February 27th. If anyone is in the area and wants to check it out after that date, just give me a call and we'll set up a time.

I'm euphorically excited at how this film is turning out! You all are gonna freak when you see this!

(By the way, someone left a black, long-sleeve, stretchy shirt in the equipment car. If anyone is missing such an article of clothing, please give me a call. Thanks!)

Josh

Thank You

2008-02-06T13:35:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been an adventure. We got more than 300 shots in only seven days, comprising more than eight hours of raw footage.

Thank you Mike, Jeff, and Schatz for running playback all the time. Your hours of boredom will pay off with a far-from-boring film in the end. Without your help, lip-sync wouldn't match up, which, even though it was a dull job, is pivotal to the film. So thank you very much for that.

And Schatz, thank you for all the food! Our stomachs were happy and so was my wallet thanks to you.

Georginia, thanks for keeping me on track and recording so much useful information behind the scenes. And for being willing to help out in areas other than script supervising.

Corey, you were the go-to guy for a ton of random stuff on set. Thanks for being a trooper and handling such a variety of tasks, even though many of them weren't in your job description. Thanks also for jumping on board at the last minute, and saving our butts; you were invaluable to this movie.

Max, glad you could make it on the nights that you did. You were a bigger help to this movie than you know, especially on the last night, when we were so understaffed. Thanks for making time to help out; I really appreciate it.

Kyle, it's always a pleasure. Your camerawork is amazing and so is your tenacity in perfecting every shot. Your work on this film will put the visuals in other D3 projects to shame.

Addison, you're awesome. Thanks for keeping morale high and spirits not-too-impersonal-and-businessy, as I sometimes let them become. You had to walk the fine line between making sure everyone was happy, but also getting stuff done, and you did great. If you ever want to AD another movie . . .

John, your work did not go under-appreciated, as it too-often seemed on set. I was constantly amazed at your ability to pull miracles out of your ass, and create awesome lighting setups in less than a minute, in subzero temperatures, with only two sticks and some kerosene, and with two gorillas and an alligator chained to your hip. Like, wow, I have no idea how you did it. Haha seriously, thanks so much for everything you did for this movie, and for tolerating all the crazy stuff I threw at you.

Reid, Reid, Reid. My how far we've come. Your continued willingness to put so much time and effort into projects that aren't your own still astounds me. Thank you for your dedication, your creative input, and your collaborative spirit. I can't wait to see you direct something in the near future.

Well Michelle, we did a semester's worth of work in less than a month. And there's no way I could have done it all myself. Even though we hit some bumps, you always had my back in a crunch, and always had the best interest of the film in mind. It amazes me that you can be so into producing you'd agree to produce a film whose director you barely knew, and for a class you weren't even taking. That enthusiastic spirit will take you a long way, I'm sure, and I would love to work with you again. Thank you so much.

And I can't begin to express how amazing the cast was. With such limited rehearsal time and such tired and odd directions from myself, you pulled off some great stuff. Can't wait till I can show it to you on the big screen!

And everyone, thanks for tolerating me being so short and impersonal with you on set! I hate getting like that, but as you know, sometimes it's necessary to get like that for stuff to get done (unless, of course, you have unlimited time and money, in which case you are one lucky bastard).

If I missed anyone, my sincerest apologies. You were all invaluable to the success of this project, and I can't thank you enough. This is just as much your movie as it is mine.

April 25th at 7:00pm is the tentative screening date for the film. I'll keep you updated on any changes. Thanks again!!!

We did it!!!

2008-02-03T22:45:00.000-08:00

Thank you everyone! I will post a really long blog tomorrow, but for now, I'm insanely tired and should get some sleep, as should you. This movie will kick ass!

I LOVE ANIME!!! (and cold water!)

2008-01-27T17:16:00.000-08:00

Ohmagosh. Your performances today were so amazing. Coupled with the awesome camera movements, you actors really make this movie shine. Jo, thanks for tolerating being out of focus and in the background so often; it so pays off during the finale. Despite my frequent (and horribly vauge) adjustments, your performance was so. kick. ass. during that final scene. Katie, you have amazing screen presence, and an awesome voice!!! The chemistry between you and both of the guys is so fun to watch. Isaac, you look like the Geek God on screen. Your reactions and interactions steal the show, even when you don't have any lines. Kevin, holy shit. We were rolling on the floor laughing at how ridiculously hardcore you are on screen. Perfect timing, hilarious instincts. Thanks especially for tackling the cold water head on. And Ali, thank you for making the drive all the way up here just for those three shots! Your acting is always rockin, even when it's just a little at the end of a scene (which is also the awesome end of the movie, don't forget!)

No, seriously, I'm not just saying all this as random complements. You really are a stellar cast. With such an odd casting process, we were more than lucky to end up with you.

Reid and I about died from laughing while watching the dailies. I can only imagine what you'll think of the final film. I'M SO FREAKING EXCITED AT HOW WELL THIS IS TURNING OUT! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

That was so hardcore.

2008-01-25T21:40:00.000-08:00

CONGRATULATIONS on a great first night of filming! You're an awesome cast and crew to work with. Footage looks great - you actors really sunk your teeth into those [exceedingly deep and pithy] roles. I can't thank you enough for your help.

Reminder: Isaac, Jo, and Katie, you are rehearsing with me tomorrow at my place at 5:00pm.

Looking forward to five more splendiferous days of shooting! ;-)

Here we go . . .

2008-01-25T00:59:00.000-08:00

I'd like to welcome Katie Beraha to the cast! Katie is playing Courtney, the female lead.

If you need any reminders on wardrobe, hair, makeup, etc, please don't hesitate to give me a call. Thanks to everyone who came up to Deland to record this week! I'm looking forward to making a great movie with all of you. See you tonight at the Enzian!

Welcome!

2008-01-15T20:33:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!

Welcome to the production blog for Hardcore: A Rock Opera! First off I'd like to say thank you for tolerating Michelle and I's rush through preproduction during the past week. It's been hectic, but we're finally done, ready to record and rehearse, and we're gonna make a kickass movie!

If you are a singing character, and haven't already done so, please schedule a recording appointment this weekend with me. We have times available on Friday and Saturday (Catherine, I know you can't make it yet - we'll talk).

I'll be contacting everyone about rehearsal dates within the next few days.

Be sure to check this blog at least every two days, and even more frequently as we draw nearer to production - there will be regular updates. I'll try to personally e-mail you about all of the superkeycrazyimportant stuff, but the blog will still have important updates, as well. Plus, even after production finishes, the blog will still be updated throughout post, so you can check on our progress.

Thanks everyone! Looking forward to working with you all!