Xixax Film Forum

I'm sorry but I'm just very happy.

This is the camera I'm shooting my short with in february:

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And lets not forget the steadicam. A freakin' steadicam!

what is this film budgeted at -- is panavision helping you out at all with rental costs? they hooked me up with a free camera when i shot mine, but it was a pana gold -- still did the trick -- its really about the optics -- waht kind of lens are you getting? best of luck my friend.

Quote from: cowboykurtiswhat is this film budgeted at -- is panavision helping you out at all with rental costs? they hooked me up with a free camera when i shot mine, but it was a pana gold -- still did the trick -- its really about the optics -- waht kind of lens are you getting? best of luck my friend.

The budgets on 37 000 swedish crowns.

$1 = 7,05 kr

So about $5250. That includes: Camera, lights, steadicam, 8 rolls of film, film developing, grading and sound equpment.

A pretty good deal. I have a great New Zealand DP who takes care of the technical side of things. He totally understand my willing to learn as much about it as possible since I've never shot on 35 before. He's great.

Hey, i'm excited for you... a first time 35mm shooter... I hope all goes well.  I'm wondering what type of financing you did for this film.  Are you getting the money from an endowment, a rich relative, or did you raise it from investors?

Quote from: TheVoiceOfNickHey, i'm excited for you... a first time 35mm shooter... I hope all goes well.  I'm wondering what type of financing you did for this film.  Are you getting the money from an endowment, a rich relative, or did you raise it from investors?

thanks :)

The money's my own. I've saved up for a while.

So I just finished shooting my 35mm short. I actually shot it saturday but I've been asleep since. Woke up ten minutes ago :)

I love shooting on 35mm. I was the youngest one on set and I had a crew of ten people under me (art, camera, production)...not counting the actors and extras. Amazing...and just dropped off the film at the lab. Can't wait to see the results.

This is all alot of brag but I've wanted to shoot 35mm for so long.

Ended up shooting on Arri instead of Panavision...
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Congrats! Who in the picture is you, if anyone? And isn't it great to have behind-the-scenes-shots from your own movies that have dollies and fancy setups in them?

EDIT: not to mention having the actual movie containing the product of said fancy setups and dolly shots.

that, my friend, Kotte, is beautiful!!

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Me and script supervisor Anna by the monitor...where I spent most of my time...hehe. :)

Congrats.  It takes some balls to get that many people to believe in you.

Nice one Kotte!

my congratulations!
These pictures made my day. they motivated me to fight for my film (the BETA thread), it's in trouble: one of the guitarists left the band, everyone is pissed and delaying a shooting day, and I don't have enough money to buy a new battery for that fucking relic, so no exterior shots... unless I buy a lot of extensions.

Congrats!  What's the film about...did you post the script here?

The short's called "The Tortelloni Suicide". A 4 minute film about a food critic and a restaurant owner.

Me giving direction to actors. :)
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The Arri...sweet Arri...and a blurry 1st AD
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I might seem self-absorbed but I'm proud of this project..

Quote from: kotteThe short's called "The Tortelloni Suicide". A 4 minute film about a food critic and a restaurant owner.

It sounds like it's right up my alley since I am a huge restaurant buff (not critic) here in Atlanta. Nice set up even though I'm not in the biz.

Quote from: kotteI might seem self-absorbed but I'm proud of this project..

As you should be.  Living the dream.  Always something good to see.  Can't wait to see the finished product.

Congratulations.  What system are you going to edit on?  Were you able to stay within your budget?

And more to the point: were you able to score with a hottie actress or make-up assistant?

Quote from: SoNowThenAnd more to the point: were you able to score with a hottie actress or make-up assistant?

...or an impressionable, gullible PA?

We need someone to quote from that scene in Schizopolis right now...

damn I wish I could help.  It's the only movie by Soderbergh I haven't seen and I just got it from netflix.

Quote from: jasper_windowCongratulations.  What system are you going to edit on?  Were you able to stay within your budget?

I'm going to edit on an avid machine. Looking foward to it.

Did I stay within my budget? Pretty much...a few extra hundred dollars in post...but yeah, pretty much.

From idea to finished 35mm film copy (and DVD copy of'course), it will land on about $6750.

If you have an idea of what you're doing...do it! Save up some money and shoot 35mm...you can't imagine the energy of having a real 35mm camera on set. But only if you know what you're doing...it's expensive.
Do a couple on DV before you move on to film...and write, never stop writing...never stop writing. If your writing is strong you will get the chance to direct. It's the honest truth.

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Quote from: kotteIf you have an idea of what you're doing...do it! Save up some money and shoot 35mm...you can't imagine the energy of having a real 35mm camera on set. But only if you know what you're doing...it's expensive.
Do a couple on DV before you move on to film...and write, never stop writing...never stop writing. If your writing is strong you will get the chance to direct. It's the honest truth.

That didn't make me sound big-headed at all...:) It's more trying to convince myself...

sorry, what does DV stand for?

Quote from: El Duderinosorry, what does DV stand for?

do u know what DVD stands for?

well DV = DVD - D

avid rawks

Quote from: P

Quote from: El Duderinosorry, what does DV stand for?

do u know what DVD stands for?

well DV = DVD - D

What are you talking about?

DV stands for Digital Video.
DVD did stand for Digital Video Disc...but today it's Digital Versatile Disc.

oh right.

well i was right about DV anyway.

Quote from: kotteDVD did stand for Digital Video Disc...but today it's Digital Versatile Disc.

Cool. I wonder what it'll stand for tomorrow.

Behind-the-scenes video: Download it here (http://members.chello.se/kotte/behind.wmv).


A 2 min video I cut together for your pleasure... :)

I´ve been thinking about something and I'm not sure what to do first.

Online editing
or
Final sound mix?


Some stills for your pleasure...



(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmembers.chello.se%2Fkotte%2Fviggo.jpg&hash=b9bd82cd17c50dac39389e1c6162807eea8f162b) (https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmembers.chello.se%2Fkotte%2Fgino.jpg&hash=fba119550f4ab24cb81c24fb081491ebf5442acb)
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Do your sound mix first. It'll take longer. Consider your online edit the final step -- that is assuming you're finishing on video. If you had edited the old traditional way on a flatbed, what you'd have done is make a slop print from your work print -- a crappy reversal B&W print. You'd use that to do your sound mix to, while your negatives and work print went to the negative cutter.

Pics look nice. A bit squeezed though.

Quote from: mutinycoDo your sound mix first. It'll take longer. Consider your online edit the final step -- that is assuming you're finishing on video. If you had edited the old traditional way on a flatbed, what you'd have done is make a slop print from your work print -- a crappy reversal B&W print. You'd use that to do your sound mix to, while your negatives and work print went to the negative cutter.

Get it. Thanks!

Quote from: mutinycoPics look nice. A bit squeezed though.

Paint's not a great... :(

Question about the squeezed looking pics. Is that a result of making the pics? They look 640-480 -- so is that what you digitized at, or were you at a DV ratio of 720-480?

Ratio of 720 x 576.

To be frank...I'm not really in the know when it comes to stuff like that.

Quote from: kotteTo be frank...I'm not really in the know when it comes to stuff like that.

Well, here's the place to begin. The more you know about the craft, the better you'll be. You can more precisely communicate to people what you want -- and they won't be able to get things by you that you don't want. Your crew and collaborators will also respect you more, because you'll seem like you have more experience. As well, by knowing their language it'll display a sense of interest in what they're doing, and people love to feel appreciated. It's all a learning process. A bit of advice...

Quote from: mutinyco

Quote from: kotteTo be frank...I'm not really in the know when it comes to stuff like that.

Well, here's the place to begin. The more you know about the craft, the better you'll be. You can more precisely communicate to people what you want -- and they won't be able to get things by you that you don't want. Your crew and collaborators will also respect you more, because you'll seem like you have more experience. As well, by knowing their language it'll display a sense of interest in what they're doing, and people love to feel appreciated. It's all a learning process. A bit of advice...

Oh yes, thanks...I was talking about compressing images.

The online edit/sound mix thing was because I've heard different things from different people.

Cool. One tip I find when making stills from the editing viewer is that I never save it as a jpeg. A weird compression occurs. I usually do a pict, then transfer it to jpeg in Photoshop.

Just to follow up on the pic compression thing...when I export stills, they're horizontally squished, and I think it has something to do with how the 720x480 aspect ratio for video is based on non-square pixels. I think 720x540 is the correct adjustment, but I'll have to check up on that.

Kotte, I saw that teaser you briefly posted online the other day, and the photography was gorgeous. Kudos again on that.

Of course, the logical solution is just to resize it in Photoshop...

Quote from: GhostboyKotte, I saw that teaser you briefly posted online the other day, and the photography was gorgeous. Kudos again on that.

Thank you, appreciate that,

People can still find the teaser here (http://members.chello.se/kotte/torte.wmv)...

looks great, kotte. despite the low budget, how many takes did you do for the dolly in? saw the behind the scenes vid as well, you're still taller than me! :evil: good luck kotte! don't forget about me. :-D

Having trouble viewing the teaser. Keeps stopping midway. BTW, it's a dolly not a zoom.

Quote from: mutinycoBTW, it's a dolly not a zoom.

insert own3d picture

Quote from: mogwailooks great, kotte. despite the low budget, how many takes did you do for the dolly in?

4 takes...

Quote from: mutinycoHaving trouble viewing the teaser. Keeps stopping midway.

Hmm...odd... :?

Could someone tell me the process of online editing?

How do you translate the effects (fades slow mo's) you create in, say Premiere? I mean how does it all work?

Quote from: kotteCould someone tell me the process of online editing?

How do you translate the effects (fades slow mo's) you create in, say Premiere? I mean how does it all work?

I know this now! :)

Okay, so I just got from a meeting at Cinepost, a post-production company focusing solely on sound. This is what I need to do and what it will cost:

Clean up dialogue tracks - $1315 (Get good sound!!!)
Sound design - $1537
Final mix - $1062
Optical tone negative - $285
Developing the tone neg. - $110

And this is just sound!! It's fucking expensive shooting on film!

Wouldn't it cost the same for digital (except for the last two things involving negatives)?

Quote from: matt35mmWouldn't it cost the same for digital (except for the last two things involving negatives)?

You're right, it would. But when you put down $6000 dollars in a film as opposed to 30 bucks you really wanna get everything right.

Quote from: kotte

Quote from: kotteCould someone tell me the process of online editing?

How do you translate the effects (fades slow mo's) you create in, say Premiere? I mean how does it all work?

I know this now! :)

would you ever like to share?  cant see the trailer either...but the stills look very professional...thanks

Quote from: md

Quote from: kotte

Quote from: kotteCould someone tell me the process of online editing?

How do you translate the effects (fades slow mo's) you create in, say Premiere? I mean how does it all work?

I know this now! :)

would you ever like to share?  cant see the trailer either...but the stills look very professional...thanks

Here's a working trailer (http://medlem.spray.se/masterkotte/torte.wmv).
Right-click. Save as...

Online editing? It's easy as hell :)
Edit you film at home in Avid Xpress, Final Cut or on something else. Print an EDL and run down to the online editing place. Online editing isn't more than you sitting next to someone editing your original footage (Digibeta?) from scratch from your EDL.

not working?

Right-click. Save as...

My super16mm short film was so on-budget until I got to the post production phase. That's the real killer, right there. I never even did an offline edit. I considered cutting the negative (myself) and then transferring that to an HD master, but decided it wasn't really worth it in the long run.

Quote from: GhostboyMy super16mm short film was so on-budget until I got to the post production phase. That's the real killer, right there.

Yeah, seriously. I so want it to be over and done with. I'm tired of it. It seems like a never ending journey.

I made a decision a couple of weeks ago with my Co-producer. I'm not gonna put one more dime of my own money into this project. I'm deep into the process of getting postprod. funding.
I mean, if no one wanna give me some cash to finish this project, is it worth putting a fortune of your own into it...

Well, the first rule of film (when I was in film school) was "never use your own money".  But then that was before the rodriguez's of the world and digital filmmaking.  Now, it's an investment.  Do you think you can make your money back?

Quote from: metroshaneDo you think you can make your money back?

Nope. It's a short. That would be far-fetched.
But I mean, I didn't do it for the money. I saw this project as film school. I've learned so fucking much about everything pretty much. It's been grea.

It's very honorable to do things for the art...but we also have to be realistic.   This is also a business and you have to be fiscally responsible if you want to continue to make films.  If you spend your own life savings on a movie...then you may be too in debt to finance anything in the future.  Or if you want anyone to invest in you...then you want to show them how you spend money responsibly.  My philosophy is to do the best with what you have.  That's all anyone can ask.  

I'm glad you enjoyed the experience.  Now tackle the hardest part about filmmaking...raising the budget.  Full disclosure:  I financed my own film, but I made a budget that wouldn't break me and I stuck to it and made comprimises.

I don't feel that the rule should be not to spend your own money--but I definitely think that you should never borrow money to make a movie unless you plan to make it back.  Don't go in debt--that's what will ruin you.

I've poured a bunch of money into my movies (around $8,000).  But I'm a high school student with no financial responsibilties.  I got a job specifically to pay for my movies, with absolutely no goal to make the money back.  It's not always a business--I'm effectively paying for the experience.

It does open doors, however, so that's a benefit that you can reap.  My first movie (Poof!), at the very least, showed that I was more serious about filmmaking than anyone else at my school--so I've become the go-to guy for filmmaking stuff, which has given me more options.  There were people that I couldn't convince to be a part of my first movie who now actually pursue me.  It has definitely made me feel more powerful--I now have a small posse of fans to help me get my next project up and running.

I feel that it's been worth it, definitely.

My mistake was that I put aside almost no money for post. Big mistake. I knew too little about the process on a real movie.
Grading, color timing, mixing...this is something they do on big films. It's not like I have go through this on my tiny short...yeah right! :?
This could be a sign I wasn't ready. I guess it is...but I still don't regret one second of this journey.

Now...I'm tired of living in poverty. I don't wanna spend anymore of my own money on this project. I really don't. I wanna live life. Travel. Buy a book. Get my girlfriend something.

If I can't get funding for to complete my film...is it really worth putting down thousands of my own money on it?
Damn it! I'm gonna get this film financed. It's good film.

Quote from: kotteThis could be a sign I wasn't ready.

No one's ready until they've made a movie, or several movies.  When it comes to first time directors of big-budgeted movies, they're surrounded by people who've made movies before.  Someone else plans the budget, photographs it, records the sound, CGIs it, color times it, markets it... the first-time director is surrounded by people who will keep things on track.

When it's a group of novices, of course there will be things that go wrong.  In my case, it was pretty smooth because I had made tons of test videos and got the technical processes down--I was inexperienced with actors and a crew, though.  Your and my next movie WON'T be made by a group of novices--we'll have some good experience under our belts--and so we grow as filmmakers and make progressively bigger and better movies.

I know that there are finishing funds available, so I think you're on the right track by looking for those.  But yes, I can understand that you don't want to spend any more of your own money on it--you've spent enough.  And I can certainly identify with your feeling of just wanting to get it DONE.

"sacrifice everything for art"

hey man you worked hard...believe in yourself its worth it...put the money in it, send it to film festivals, sell your shit....pta/wes anderson all made it through shorts (which were turned into features)....

im glad we have message boards like this to learn from others....

Thanks for the encouragement.

I was actually the most unexperienced on set. We had an experienced DP from New Zealand, another swedish photographer as Assistant camera, an exsperienced 1st AD. So I was surrounded by good people...

and I would never had done this did I not know how to direct. That'd be a COMPLETE waste of money. That's not where the problem lies. I was too unlearned when it came to post. I didn't have a clue...didn't have a clue how much it cost.

I now agree with metroshane, "My philosophy is to do the best with what you have."

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I think this is the one problem with digital cinema. People are starting off now doing things cheaply on mini-DV and editing at home. But because they're not dealing with professional post, etc., they're unprepared when they finally confront it. I had the fortune of learning in reverse. 10-11 years ago, when I was making shorts it HAD to be done on film. I used 16mm, which was the most practical. But, man, you learn quite a bit about cost once you get into post! I'm glad to be working cheaply on mini-DV right now. Young people today don't realize just how lucky they are to have consumer equipment.

When I started, you HAD to do EVERYTHING analog. The short that I recently posted, Sabotage In the Ranks of Sobriety, was cut on a flatbed Steenbeck. It had 2 tracks of sound, both on 16mm mag stock. Everything was cut and spliced by hand.

I need advice...

I'm thinking about sending out a 'unmixed' copy of the film to festivals for them to consider, with a note that it's a 'work-in-progress' or something like that?
Why? I need to get it out there. Interest from festivals etc might get investors interested to complete it.
Is this a good idea?

By unmixed, do you just mean that the soundtrack is incomplete? Most festivals do accept rough cuts, I think. I know Sundance does.

It's a tough call, because while you don't want your movie to just sit around gathering dust while you accumulate funds to complete it, you also don't want festival juries to dismiss it based on its roughness (even if it does have a 'work in progress' label). I guess if you can accurately judge its current state and you know that the film's qualities easily outshine its roughness, than it'd probably be okay.

And of course, if they reject you, you can always submit the finished film to the same festivals the next year.

Quote from: GhostboyBy unmixed, do you just mean that the soundtrack is incomplete? Most festivals do accept rough cuts, I think. I know Sundance does.

It's a tough call, because while you don't want your movie to just sit around gathering dust while you accumulate funds to complete it, you also don't want festival juries to dismiss it based on its roughness (even if it does have a 'work in progress' label). I guess if you can accurately judge its current state and you know that the film's qualities easily outshine its roughness, than it'd probably be okay.

And of course, if they reject you, you can always submit the finished film to the same festivals the next year.

You're making some good points.

The soundtrack is pretty much complete...but it's unmixed. We considered mixing it for cinema but it's too damn expensive so we settled for a DVD and TV mix. If a big festival accept it I doubt it'll be a problem to get the money for a film print and a film mix.

The "screener" we're getting finishing up is pretty good. The picture's locked. The sound...not so much. Well it is but the dialogue track sounds like shit. The DV-deck is making a lot of noise. On a TV this sounds even worse, pretty much my only concern.
They'll fix it in the mix but it will be there for the "screener".

Honestly...don't jump the gun. If it's not ready, don't bother people -- cause if they see it unfinished and then you want them to see it again finished, they might feel like it's a waste of time. Everybody's always busy and to get their attention is priceless.

Be patient. Wait till you're happy with it.

Although it is a short short. People like watching shorts more then once, I think. I'd say if its pretty solid as a rough cut, send it in, then blow them away even  more with the awesomness of the final cut.

Help on this would be deeply appreciated...

This is the credits for my short. Could it be organized differently? Mis-spellings? Substitue-words etc etc?


CAST

Michael Mansson   GINO
Josephine Wistedt   SANDRA
Mattias Rundgren   VIGGO


CREW

Christopher Norin
Kim Hansen   PRODUCERS

Matt Meikle   DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Richard   Walton   MUSIC COMPOSER

Christopher Norin
Kim Hansen   EDITORS

Karel Keim                   FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Anna Modén   SCRIPT SUPERVISOR
David Block   SOUND RECORDIST
Martin Nisser   FIRST ASSISTANT CAMERA
Rasmus Svensson   DOLLY GRIP
Mathias Jansson   GAFFER
Malena Modéer   SET DECORATOR
Camilla Moberg   MAKE-UP ARTIST
Henrik Sandén   STILL PHOTOGRAPHER

Cinestar                   CAMERA EQUIPMENT
Joson      SOUND EQUIPMENT
Fuji      FILM STOCK
FilmTeknik                   FILM DEVELOPING
Frithoff                   COLOR TIMING
Unknown      COLOR TIMER   
Second Unit   MEDIA TRANSFER
Beppo      POST PRODUCTION SOUND
Unknown      SOUND MIXER
Unknown      ONLINE-EDITING
Unknown      ONLINE-EDITOR   
Stagepool                   CASTING SERVICES
Filmcafé

A Nopher Films production


DINNER GUESTS

Staffan Rydbeck
Alessandro Fernandes
Göran Holm
Peter Lulle Johansson
Larisa Virkovskaja
Margret Andersson
Shahin Alborz
Gunhild Eriksson
Gonca Yazan
Johan Sandberg
Jelena Mrdjanov
Linda Gendlin
Nadim Ahmed
Camilla Moberg


THANKS TO

Skansens Restauranger
Anna-Karin Norin
Xixax.com
David Jiang
Jossan
Johan at Cinestar
Florian at Fuji

Quote from: kotteJelena Mrdjanov

this is definitely misspelled.

Quote from: Pubrick

Quote from: kotteJelena Mrdjanov

this is definitely misspelled.

hehe, yeah I wish it was...

That's two movies now that have xixax.com in the Special Thanks section of the credits...so it begins.

Mine was the first, bitches.

Quote from: GhostboyThat's two movies now that have xixax.com in the Special Thanks section of the credits...so it begins.

Quote from: matt35mmMine was the first, bitches.

(https://xixax.com/files/picolas/bestavever.jpg)
Cassenya: The Movie
(2003)

thanked xixax.com

That guy in the picture looks just like a guy I know.  He was dressed similarly once.  He looked just like that.  Eerie.

So correction:  There are three movies (that we know of so far) that have thanked xixax.com.  Picolas did the first, I did the second, and Kotte the third.

A Tortellini Story
- journey into food

Teaser (http://members.chello.se/kotte/tortellini.mov)
On-set footage (http://members.chello.se/kotte/footage.mov)

I never experienced writers block. Now I was in the middle of it. It was more than six months since I directed and for something you honestly feel you are born to do, six months is a hell of a long time. I knew I wanted to make a short film pretty soon and on 35mm with a large crew, because I'm a filmmaker. I had the whole production side all planned out but I didn't have a script, in fact I didn't even have an idea to make a script of. It's been said good ideas cannot be forced. It's true. Everything my pen generated (like I didn't write it :) ) was terrific crap. You should write what you know but what the fuck do I know?
I was born in to the culinary world with both a mother and a father running restaurants. What I've come to realize is the power of the critic, the culinary critic. There is something wrong when a critic has a "style", when he is known for cynicism and just being mean. This got me thinking...and two weeks later I had a script for a short film.

Pre production (October 2003 – February 2004)
I knew I couldn't do this without a company behind to support me. I started Nopher Films and that was all the corporative support I needed.
I had a producer friend read the script and hoped to god he would like it and want in on the project. He appreciated what the script was saying and noticed something universal in it. He discovered layers I didn't even know was there. In the end he showed me what this film was really about. He helped me make the film a lot more layered.
I put out an ad for a Director of Photography. I only had those kinds of contacts in New York City, not home, in Sweden. The first one I got in touch with was the one I ended up collaborating with: Matt Meikle. A New Zealander living and working in Sweden. On our first meeting we did very little talking about the project. We had a long conversation over coffee and cigarettes about films we love, cinematographers we admired etc. His reel was equally impressive as his person. Our second meeting was all about the project. I made it rough on him since I didn't have a budget set yet. But he promised 35mm was the way to go and that he would get a great deal on equipment. He had a wonderful contact at a rental house in Stockholm and managed to get all the equipment, including the van, the whole damn deal for under 2700 dollars. And on that a 60 percent discount on film stock at Fuji. Could I make this for less than my monthly drinking budget?
Kim Hansen, my producer, helped me get in touch with a production designer. Malena had a tough job. I had next to nothing set aside in the budget for production design. I am going to shoot this film in a real restaurant. The location I had was a restaurant but a 18th century restaurant and my story was set in a contemporary Italian eatery. She did an amazing job with next to zero dollars.
I had this big production running and I was a bit uncomfortable. I had not yet found the actors to make this whole thing worth it. I had neglected this part. You always neglect something when you are pressed for time. Unfortunately I had done so with the most important thing. I did some true focusing on this part for a couple of days and found some great actors. Luck. I could have been unlucky. I cursed myself and moved on. Lesson learned.
Two days before the shoot I had a production meeting with the key crew-members: the producer, 1st assistant director, director of photographer, sound technician and script supervisor. We didn't really do much work. I didn't feel there was anything to talk about except let everyone meet each other. But we did lay down a schedule that made me quite excited and bit tired. A fourteen hour shoot. Kim had a rough night getting in touch with everyone to give call times. I went to rehears with the actors.
Next day was equipment and film pickup day. I wasn't sure everything would fit in the van, though it was supposed to. It did. We dropped everything off at the set and had a quick run-through. There was no need for storyboards, there was only one set, one room but we did have an extensive shot list. Everyone went home. Time was 11 pm. I went to sleep with three alarm clocks set on 5 am. I knew I would oversleep.

Production (28th February)
I didn't. I drove to the set. That's one of the most exciting moments in my life that I will remember forever, the drive to the set. To be someone who always feels out of place I felt so much at home.
First one on set I prepared breakfast and made a large batch of questionable coffee. It was dark outside. February in Sweden is dark most of the day. It worried me a little bit. Would it be a problem to make this six minute story look like it is in real time? Matt assured me it would not. I walked the set and could not help but laugh out of excitement. I felt like such a rookie but that was okay, this film is my chance to get the rookie-excitement out of my system.
People started to drop in and alone-time was over.
Matt had decided to light the set from outside with really big lights to minimize relighting for every shot. Two hours until the camera was supposed to roll and the actors arrived. Michael, one of the actors, took me aside and told me he had the most horrible cold and a terrific headache. He is the one who have to deliver a two minute long monologue. I was worried but he assured me it wouldn't be a problem.
There was about thirty people there now and I had the best time walking around, talking to everybody.
The first shot required fifteen extras and a plate of pasta for everyone. The extras was there, the pasta was not. The chef of the restaurant promised to make us all the spaghetti we wanted but I had told him the wrong time or the schedule change somehow but he was a great sport and helped us out. He had the pasta done fifteen minutes later.
I took some time for myself before the first shot. To focus and clear my mind. I had never felt more confident in my whole life, as a person. It may sound strange but it is true. This is how it feels to be home.
The shoot went pretty smooth until we came to the monologue. There had been a miscommunication between me and Michael. He freaked when I told him we were doing the whole thing in one single take. We had to split it in two shots which in the end worked out for the better. I had never seen an actor work so hard as ill as he was. He tried to be as close to my words as possible but it didn't really work when he did it. I blame the script. I gave him some exceptionally good direction: I knew understood the subtext of the words so I told him to just adlib the middle part. It wouldn't do any harm if he seemed a bit confused and insecure. It would fit nice with his character's state of mind. He did a great job! Though he happened to say "a plate of Tortellini" instead of "a plate of Tortelloni" which forced me rename the film. Funny.
Last shot was in the can around 10 pm and we packed everything away. I had a head ache from hitting a fucking lamp four times. It hung really low and I didn't notice the read tape we put on it after the second time. That's me at my best. Actually I'm surprised I didn't trip over cables or fuck up the monitor.
Everybody left but me and Kim. There was a lot of cleaning to do. We left around 1 am. Totally fucking beat.
I went to bed...I slept before I hit the bed...

Post production (Mars 2004 – April 2005)
This is the period I learned the greatest lesson. Look how fucking long it took!
I slept the whole sunday, the day following the shoot. I had some brief moments awake but they were filled with emptiness and satisfaction, an odd mix. But mostly I slept.
I dropped off the film at the lab and picked it up two month later when I had the money. That same day I went to color grade the film and transfer it to a digital format. This was really exciting I can tell you. It had been over two months since production and I was detached from the whole thing. But it took only a second of grading to get all the excitement rushing back.
A got everything down on my computer together with the sound material and got down to editing.
Kim, my producer, got in touch with a music composer who, apparently, was writing some songs for Backstreet Boys' new album. Whatever that would mean to my project I thought it was cool. He made some really good and fitting music for my film. What came later was sound-designing and mixing. A process I did not enjoy. I simply don't have an ear for it, for sound and what fits. But it is said to be 75 percent of a cinematic experiences: the sound scape and therefore fucking important. With good help from Kim and the mixer we finally had a good soundtrack. I think they hated me though that period. There wasn't a trace of decisiveness in me. That sounds fine and that sounds good and that and that and that...
The least dramatic but most expensive in the whole post period was online editing. You basically pay some one to re-edit your film.
So what did I do wrong here and what was the lesson learned? Plan and budget for post. I did neither. I just didn't see past the shooting. It wasn't really a product of disinterest but lack of knowledge.

I've learned a lot and I ended up with something great. With flaws and everything I love this film and I love everybody involved...and I think that's what it's about.

I'm gonna put off drinking for a couple of weeks so we can afford festivals. I won't invest in a film print because that would cost me as much as the whole film itself but I'm sure if a major festival wants it I'll get the money.

We'll see what happens...