Filmblazer

The End of a Journey

Jamie — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:22:20 +0000

The Two-week Turnaround Tour has come to an end. We had an amazing journey and can't thank you all enough for your support and encouragement. This project would have been nothing without the help of our incredible Filmblazer community. This may be the end of our trip but it is only the beginning of the wonderful friendships and collaborations that were made possible by T3.

So what next? Well, we're working on getting all the movies finished and posted. That's definitely goal number one. We're going to start with the earliest and work up to the end. So Shreveport team, there is still hope for you yet. After that we're not sure exactly but we have tons of unseen footage and behind-the-scenes stuff that we'll have to think of a creative way to put together.

Mostly right now we're just trying to readjust to a normal life where our house isn't on wheels and the time zones stay the same every two weeks. No more spending absurdly long hours in coffee shops guzzling coffee and begging an idea to come to us. No more nights spent in Wal-Mart parking lots. No more standing on the coastline of California and watching the sunset or driving through the Rocky Mountains and seeing herds of elk. Back to everyday life where our sanity is a lot easier to hang on to but way less fun.

I'm sure we will have more adventures in our lives but I can't imagine how any of them could top T3. We will always hold onto these memories and are so glad that so many of you could be a part of making our dreams come true. WE DID IT!!!!!!!!

Why Writing is Torture

Jamie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:08:57 +0000

In Cincinnati, we got off to a slow start, mostly because we were staying with family in a nice, comfy house with a big TV and DVR. It's a little hard to get motivated when you need to catch up on your Project Runway. We did eventually get together a list of resources that we could work from. We had Italian actress and sculptor, Stefania Marcone, cartoonist and actor Craig Boldman, a working sculpture of a mom and baby, and an art studio with about 4 hours of availability.

Some might look at this list of resources and say impossible! No one can make a movie with such limitations. However we seem to work better the more restrictions we have. We quickly came up with a rough concept and then I set to work writing the script. I was definitely entering a world of insecurity when I agreed to write the screenplay. Prior to T3, I'd only ever read a handful of scripts let alone written one. I suppose I technically wrote the movie in Bozeman but the story was conceived in great detail by other people and I just had to physically write it down.

So, with some naivete, I wrote a script. I showed it to Josh and he read it. His only response was "ok, send it to the actors." No feedback whatsoever. I tried to probe a little asking questions about certain parts but again his only response was "it's good. send it out." So, holding my breath, I hit the send button. Writing, as I'm sure actual writers (unlike myself, a complete impostor) is incredibly personal and to have other people read it is absolutely terrifying to me. It was too late, though. As soon as I hit send, it was out there. There was no turning back. We were going to make my movie.

We arrived on set the next day and I'm sure my self-consciousness showed despite my efforts to hide it. When we started rolling, I scrutinized the delivery of every line. During the writing process I heard in my head how everything was supposed to go. Then, in production, I realized how much room there was for interpretation to even the simplest of lines. We were, no doubt, working with incredibly talented actors. However, when I wrote it, never in my head did I imagine an Italian accent. Of course, I knew this going in but I didn't realize how different it would make each scene: Different syllables were emphasized, different intonation, different emotion. Not bad different, just different.

The whole night was painful for me. Certain lines didn't work. Some scenes were changed dramatically based on logistics or the pace of the film. Mostly it was painful not knowing how everyone felt about it. I wasn't sure if Josh really believed in the story having only said "it's good". I didn't know if the actors liked the script or if they were doing it only because they had already committed. If it were up to me, I would have sat with them and analyzed each line in depth until it was changed beyond recognition and I would no longer have to claim it as my own. The responsibility of it weighed on me and I hated it.

Despite my obvious insecurities, the filming went well. I think the movie is good, possibly award winning depending on the editing (just kidding!) but acceptable at the very least of a T3 film. The reward of a satisfying product might possibly make it worth the torture I put myself through. Will I do it again? Probably under the coercion of Josh but it will take coercion. The moral of the story: If you're a writer, I commend your courage in exposing yourself in your work and your flexibility in allowing your imagination to be transferred to reality. Keep doing what you're doing.

Joshisms

Jamie — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:12:43 +0000

We're about 6 months in now and I've discovered that Josh tends to say a lot of things before really mulling them over in his head. I can just hear the gasps now… Josh talking without thinking! I know it's shocking. Sometimes it gets him in trouble but every once in a while something pure gold rolls off his uncensored tongue. Here are 14 of my favorite Joshisms and a few other quotes from various sources collected over the trip.

1. "You know what would be really funny? Siamese giraffes attached at the head"

2. "girls don't fart... until you live in an RV with them"

3. "if I put it on my lips it will end up in my nose"

4. Me "That would have been funny if I didn't screw up the delivery"
Josh " Don't do that when you have a kid"

5. "Did you write those coffee shops down? One was called Willy Wags and the other was Star Jones something"

6. "Your GPS has been drunk with power lately"

7. "I wonder who twitter is on twitter? Probably twitter"

8. "who's the girl who can't afford underwear?" Josh's dad trying to think of Britney Spears

9. Josh: "where's my pillow?"
Me: "It's in the cabinet with the dishes"

10. "well we did one so we've already achieved more than anyone thought we would"

11. "You know what I want to talk about... World War I " random guy in a restaurant

12. "People with eye sight issues better be glad we have noses"

13. "If that's the Battle Wagon, what's the truck? The Stallion?"

14. "You're screwing things up because you have boobs. I can't frame you in the shot like mid-boob"

If you have a favorite T3 quote or experience with the director leave it in the comments.

Open Screening in Chicago

Jamie — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:18:58 +0000

While we were in Chicago we saw that Chicago Filmmakers, an organization for independent filmmakers in Chicago, was holding an open screening. Anyone could bring a short film under 20 minutes and it would be screened in front of an audience just like an open mic night for musicians.

This was a very interesting concept and we jumped at the chance to attend. We chose to show "Bad Day at Zia Rock" from T3 Albuquerque because we thought it would stand out the most. We figured most other films would be shot in Chicago rather than the desert. I'm actually surprised that more events like this are not offered. One of the biggest challenges for independent filmmakers is to get an audience for their films.

The films ranged from very amateur to huge cast and crews. Like we predicted, most had an urban feel making ours very different from the others. We were a little weirded out by other people watching our movie that had no part in the production. I'm still not sure what to think about the reaction. There wasn't time for us to talk about it or take questions. The films just played one after the other.

Watching the range and diversity of all the movies was really fun and a great concept in general. I would have liked to add more social aspects, though. It would have been nice to have some networking opportunities and at the very least been able to introduce the film we submitted. Overall I think this concept has a lot of possibilities and is something for all independent filmmaking communities to consider implementing. Any thoughts?

T3 Postcard

Josh — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:50:24 +0000

This is another T3 Postcard for Second Cinema which is a TV show on Time Warner Cable in North Carolina. They showcase local filmmakers in NC and have been following us along the tour. We love being a part of this show and hope you enjoy this segment we put together for them!

Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v), Flash Video (.flv)

Filmblazer Weekly Episode 9: It's Hard Being a Zarbie

Adam — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:11:07 +0000

Here we go here we go here we go again.

Here we have our third short podcast. 30 quick minutes covering all things Bozeman. The coffee shop that blew Josh's mind, the secret breakfast, peeing on each other, the zombie (zarbie) walk, Jamie gets drunk (accidentally) on rose petals and loves on a kitty, and Josh's portable first aid kit. All this and more brought to you by Kessler Crane.

Links:
Kessler Crane
Bozeman Public Libary
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Yellowstone

14 Things to Do When You Have Writer's Block on T3

Jamie — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:23:51 +0000

1. Surf the internet for hours at a time.

2. Visit Museums on free community days.

3. Watch movies for "inspiration".

4. Repeatedly bang your head against the wall.

5. Walk aimlessly around the city to "location scout".

6. Sleep until noon.

7. Scream at a blank piece of paper.

8. Drink copious amounts of coffee in hopes the caffeine frenzy will stir up some creativity.

9. Eat lots of chocolate in hopes the sugar craze will stir up some creativity.

10. Avoid brainstorming like the plague because it's just to painful.

11. Stare at twitter, occasionally begging for an idea in a desperate tweet.

12. Search the history of the city for a real life story we can remake.

13. Go to Wal-Mart to look for some kind of object to inspire us.

14. Live in complete denial of the two-week time frame that is quickly slipping away.

Filming in the Fargo Theater

Josh — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:51:20 +0000

Get the behind-the-scenes look at the first day of filming in Fargo. We filmed at the historic Fargo Theater after hours which means we started filming at 11PM. We had a great time despite the late hour and were very happy with the performances of Eric Carlson and Sara Bergeron.

Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v), Flash Video (.flv)

Rocky Mountain National Park

Jamie — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 05:47:16 +0000

So Boulder made us angry and beat up on us pretty good. The wounds are still a little too fresh to talk about so instead I'm gonna talk about our trip to the Rocky Mountain National Park. We wrapped "filming" (I put it quotes because I'm not sure it actually counts) and decided instead of editing this epic failure of a movie, we'd go to RMNP (all the cool people abbreviate it).

I didn't know much about it so I didn't have very high expectations. I thought there were just a bunch of big mountains so I was kind of bleh about the whole thing. The boy scout in Josh wouldn't let him not go so I gave in. We were driving there and hit some traffic near a mini-golf course called Fun City. We got closer and realized that a huge herd of elk had taken over the putt-putt course and the road and the nearby stream. We pulled over and jumped out to get some pictures. They seemed wholly unconcerned about our proximity or the fact that there were people actually trying to play putt-putt.

The elk finally cleared off, apparently having had their fill of mini-golf and we went back to the car, marveling that one of our most impressive animal sightings was at a miniature golf course. Oh irony. Onward to RMNP (I'm so cool right now you don't even know).

We entered the park and drove to a trail for a waterfall, a half mile trail with a pretty steep incline. We breathed heavily, cursing our level of fitness and the high altitude (we blamed a lot on the altitude in Colorado). The falls were pretty cool but not quite matching the one we saw in Yellowstone.

We headed back to the car, resting on a bench to catch our breath. While we were sitting there, we struck up a conversation with a family from Texas. They told us about this windy dirt road that took you up above the tree line and to a ranger station with hot chocolate and snacks. A dirt road on the edge of a mountain sounded right up our alley, so off we went.

We drove and drove and drove up and up and up. We stopped often to take pictures of the most breathtaking views I've ever seen. They for sure kicked Yellowstone's ass in that respect. We gazed at huge mountains with beautiful grassy valleys, chipmunks that would walk right up to you, and patches of snow that still clung to the side of the mountains. Our eyes darted around frantically trying to capture everything but found it was too much to take in all at once.

After taking our sweet time, pulling over often so Josh could take another picture of a chipmunk or touch a glacier, we made it to the ranger station around 5:30pm. By this time we were starving! We walked in the ranger station and were horrified to see chairs stacked on tables and workers cleaning up. We missed food by 30 minutes :(

We walked out, thoroughly dejected, and ate a granola bar we scrounged up in the car. Then our eyes turned to the intimidating steps that went up to the summit of the mountain at 12,000 feet above sea level. We'd come this far. we weren't going to give up now. The air was very thin and frigidly cold. The wind whipped around us rivaling the arctic in its intensity. With much huffing and puffing, we made it to the top and looked out over the tundra.

We could see for miles and miles. Supposedly we could see Wyoming from where we stood but due to my incredibly inadequate geography skills I couldn't tell you where. Standing on the summit, above the trees where only the strongest and most determined plant life would grow, a very distinct "conquering-the-world" feeling fell over us. With exceedingly triumphant smiles on our faces, we walked back down, leaving the tumultuous two weeks in Boulder behind us. Reinvigorated, we were ready to continue on our adventure and face the many more challenges to come.

To see more pictures of our trip, visit our flickr page.

Boulder County Senior Rodeo

Jamie — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:21:21 +0000

One of the first things we did in Boulder was go to the Boulder County Senior Rodeo. Yes senior rodeo, meaning all the contestants (is that what you call people in a rodeo?) were over the age of 40. We went with Tom Judd and the German couch surfer, Isabel, that was staying with him for a few days.

We started with the animals. They had a ton of farm animals to look at and pet if you don't mind the risk of E.coli (seriously how many stories have you heard about petting zoos and E. coli?). The bunnies were probably my favorite. I tried to convince Josh that a bunny would be a nice addition to the Battle Wagon but he had already moved on to the goats. I had to talk him down from buying a goat, convincing him that a goat is an even more ridiculous idea than a bunny. Where would we put a goat, even if it is a bargain at $175? Then again do you really want bargain farm animals?

Eventually it came time for us to take our seats which was good because I was pretty much done with the animals after I got licked by a cow. They started by crowning the 2009 Rodeo Queen. From what I gathered through the crappy P.A. system announcements, she was a UC Boulder student and was awarded some kind of scholarship. After the ceremony, she was told to take a lap on her horse. She went flying around the arena and was headed for the exit. She was going way too fast and I remember thinking this is gonna end badly. I was not disappointed. She ran into about 3 other horses before hitting the wall where she promptly fell off and was shamed in front of the entire crowd.

After the laughter subsided, they got started with the show. the age brackets were >40, >50, >60 and >68. That's right, 68 year old men were riding bucking broncos. I feel like it's highly inappropriate for a 68 year old man to ride a horse at all, let alone one that is trying to buck you off. I was very impressed with their spryness (is that a word?).

My favorite part in the whole thing was the mutton busting. If you're not familiar with this, what happens is they put a sheep in the middle of the ring. Then at one end, they're holding a sheep that is very eager to get to the one in the middle. Then they put a small child (I believe the age range was 5-7) on the sheep, wait for him/her to get a good grip, then let go. The sheep goes screaming towards the center and these crazy kids hold on for dear life. The kid that stays on the longest wins $5.

One kid took a particularly bad fall off the sheep.A few moments later, we heard over the PA system "Will the mother of Gilbert Smith Jr. (ok I don't remember his real name) please report to the ambulance immediately". I'm not sure but that kid had to walk away with at least a broken arm. The kid that won made it all the way to the other end and had to be removed from the sheep because he was not about to let go. He is definitely a bull rider in the making.

We had a great time at the Senior rodeo and are pumped that we can check that off our list of things to do on T3. All I have left to say is Yeeeeeeeeeee Haawwwwwww!