tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-226125502024-03-14T08:38:07.974-07:00Making Movies in Flyover CountryThis is the blog of Texas filmmaker and Baylor University professor Chris Hansen. I discuss filmmaking and screenwriting issues on here, as well as pretty much anything else that strikes me. "Flyover Country," by the way, is Hollywood's affectionate name for any part of the U.S. that is NOT L.A. or New York. I am made of win with a side of awesome sauce. Or so I've been told.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.comBlogger400125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-13329104916705932422012-09-17T06:49:00.002-07:002012-09-17T06:50:33.190-07:00First Review of Where We StartedI haven't been posting as regularly as I'd like to, I admit, but I'm happy to have something to post today.<P>
After all the hard work on <i>Where We Started</i>, it's nice to see people appreciate it. The first online review of the film has been posted. You can read it here: <P>
<a href="http://www.badlit.com/?p=24233"><b>BadLit reviews <i>Where We Started</i></b></a><P>
Here's hoping there will be many more positive reviews to come.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-34951947263819253032012-07-28T21:00:00.000-07:002012-07-28T21:00:19.378-07:00Where We Started: The PosterWe finally have a poster design for <i>Where We Started</i>. To give credit where it is due - Andrew May came up with the initial design concept, and Tyler Ellis did the final design work. Here it is:<P>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP7TqhflHOQPhkIMXtRi2KX2frtHgGrlt_SCzf_wU-PLU2TCO7j_XfQTucEjyyQ83puw8SzbRd8n3lZXjEShx26wuNKW7QdLCadOZVXoLIXO5-CW6f3mO8YPTZ7eeOj5HLWtMXJA/s1600/wws+poster+11x17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP7TqhflHOQPhkIMXtRi2KX2frtHgGrlt_SCzf_wU-PLU2TCO7j_XfQTucEjyyQ83puw8SzbRd8n3lZXjEShx26wuNKW7QdLCadOZVXoLIXO5-CW6f3mO8YPTZ7eeOj5HLWtMXJA/s400/wws+poster+11x17.jpg" /></a></div><P>
I'm really pleased with the design. It is simple and striking. My thanks to the guys who designed it.<P>
I'm also pleased to report that the lead actors finally saw the finished film and loved it. I know - you're thinking, hey, they could be totally shining me on. But believe me, I know these actors. I can tell a veiled criticism when I hear it. They are proud of the work we did, as am I. I am more and more eager for people to see it.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-48937495542450926452012-07-13T11:39:00.000-07:002012-07-13T11:39:06.932-07:00Where We Started: DVD screenerThe final phases of postproduction on Where We Started have been frustrating. A lot of work goes into finishing the film well. The cutting. The sound. The color correction. All of those involve creative choices and technical ability. But we finished that.<P>
Getting the film exported off the computer so that we can make a DVD was a much harder thing than it should have been.<P>
Just for informational purposes, here's a short version of the process as it's supposed to work:<P>
First, you export the movie from Final Cut Pro as a .mov file (with little or no compression).<P>
Second, you compress that file for DVD using Apple's Compressor.<P>
Third, you import the resulting files from Compressor into DVD Studio Pro, create a menu and chapter breaks, and then burn the disc.<P>
Sounds easy, right?<P>
There are so many things that went wrong - things I didn't even think were possible.<P>
It started with sync issues. For some reason, the sound and picture were not in sync when we exported the movie. No matter what we did, we couldn't get the two in sync.<P>
The other major issue is that Compressor was dropping the brightness of the movie significantly. Since the movie has a number of scenes that take place in dim lighting, this was unacceptable.<P>
Those two problems caused significant delays. I won't bore you with all the attempts we made to solve these issues. The final resolution for the brightness issue came via former student B.B. Enriquez, who has had the same problem with Compressor and showed us how to tweak the gain settings in the software program. My colleagues tested several different settings on the movie, and we were all in agreement on the final look.<P>
The sync issue was still lingering, though. Finally, my colleague Corey Carbonara suggested we try working with the film on a different computer. We had been using our high-end system (the one we use for finishing all larger/high-end projects). So we took the drive with the film on it and worked on a different system, and, well... that was the problem. Apparently the high-end system has a sound-related glitch that is preventing it from maintaining sync. Once we moved to another computer, the problem was solved.<P>
And here's the result: <P>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1sUo9hO4T4HR5azoaiFAiUL5YoiETJ4EICVwaOe2KeF87ZVeNLVMeovqL0iCwOqjaqaIPwj6ms9sOsAru0kzH3QsL0QOwr_2DnHIWCOQ30qswSM2dDdn1b_RuMMW5CvwvuT8gw/s1600/photo%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="299" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1sUo9hO4T4HR5azoaiFAiUL5YoiETJ4EICVwaOe2KeF87ZVeNLVMeovqL0iCwOqjaqaIPwj6ms9sOsAru0kzH3QsL0QOwr_2DnHIWCOQ30qswSM2dDdn1b_RuMMW5CvwvuT8gw/s400/photo%255B1%255D.JPG" /></a></div>
<P>
The first DVD screeners have been burned and mailed. And all of a sudden, I've entered an altogether more difficult phase of the filmmaking process: the waiting. Now I have to wait for people to respond to the film. And pray they like it as much as I do.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-75411613668017260342012-06-09T22:36:00.002-07:002012-06-12T20:32:25.004-07:00Calling Doctor Who fans<b>ARE YOU A <i>DOCTOR WHO</i> FANATIC?...</b>
<P>
...because I'm making a documentary about people like you.
<P>
Fans come in all shapes and sizes - some dress up/cosplay and attend events like Gallifrey One or ComicCon. Others write fan fiction. Some analyze the show in critical research. And some do all of the above and more. There are hundreds of ways you might express your fandom.
<P>
So how do you express yours?
<P>
I'm a filmmaker (and professor of film & digital media) starting work on a documentary about American fans of the BBC sci-fi show <i>Doctor Who</i>.
<P>
So - do you have an interesting story about being a fan of the show, or know of people who are obsessed with the show or have a story about it? Are you a fan of the new series since its return in 2005, or the classic series, or both? Do you go to <i>Doctor Who</i> conventions (or other sci-fi conventions where <i>Doctor Who</i> is part of the landscape)?
<P>
If you're an academic who studies <i>Doctor Who</i>, why?
<P>
These are just some of the possible expressions of fandom - what's YOUR story?
<P>
If you're interested in being interviewed for the documentary, please email me. I'm assembling a list of potential interviewees and locations.
<P>
A little about me, by way of introduction: I'm an award-winning writer-director. My previous films include <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0762127/">The Proper Care & Feeding of an American Messiah</a> (available on <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/150744">Hulu</a>, <a href="http://www.fandor.com/films/american_messiah">Fandor</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Messiah-Proper-Care-Feeding/dp/B000VVX2QM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339557729&sr=8-1">Amazon</a>), the short documentary comedy <a href="http://www.cleanfreakmovie.com">Clean Freak</a> (available on <a href="http://www.fandor.com/films/clean_freak">Fandor</a>), and the dramatic feature <a href="http://www.endings-movie.com/">Endings</a> (winner of Best Dramatic Feature and Best Screenplay awards). My most recent film, <a href="https://vimeo.com/39561976">Where We Started</a>, is coming soon.
<P>
You should also know that I am also a <I>Doctor Who</I> fan. I discovered it as a child on Georgia Public TV in the early 1980s. My favorite Doctor then was the fourth. I still love him, but I'm also a David Tennant fan.
<P>
So - please email me or leave a comment here.
<P>
Chris Hansen<BR>
christopher_hansen (at) baylor.eduChris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-80729061226863591142012-05-15T06:58:00.000-07:002012-05-15T07:00:23.625-07:00An overdue updateWell, it's been too long since my last post, and for that I apologize. My only excuse is that it has been a busy semester, and a busy year, and frankly there just hasn't been much to say when it comes to updates on the film.<P>
We got to a point where the most I could productively say would have been, "Hey, we're still working on it." And you know what? "Hey, we're still working on it."<P>
But we're inching closer to the finish line.<P>
The final two steps in this process are color correction and the sound mix. Both are in process. I have to check the color correction, because that may now be complete. And the sound mix is nearly done, but the mixer had to go work on another project (for two weeks in Poland). So as soon as he returns, we should be able to finalize everything.<P>
So that's it for now - the film is coming soon!<P>
And here's a photo of Grant Hall working on the color correction.<P>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_Ljkv98ctlC27cIDqfykUEJ29XQdCIUpGwvsTzWlU_uXuARlkBKmclu6AIRMB4-pCYahQ7KIM9Ofig-VrM9lebijNOhpO7Ras8eAWTbVZKdCmmQU0hyphenhyphenZ1-NVPARHzEgCiza5wA/s1600/photo%255B2%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="299" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_Ljkv98ctlC27cIDqfykUEJ29XQdCIUpGwvsTzWlU_uXuARlkBKmclu6AIRMB4-pCYahQ7KIM9Ofig-VrM9lebijNOhpO7Ras8eAWTbVZKdCmmQU0hyphenhyphenZ1-NVPARHzEgCiza5wA/s400/photo%255B2%255D.JPG" /></a></div>Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-34112290836021361092012-02-01T08:53:00.000-08:002012-02-01T08:57:41.906-08:00Editing Where We Started: The TrailerBK Garceau, a trailer editor in LA and a former student of mine, is working on the trailer for <span style="font-style:italic;">Where We Started</span>. He has been trying to cull it down to a two minute preview that tells the story without revealing too much. Though it's not yet complete, I thought I'd share what the trailer for the movie looks like in post-it note form on BK's door:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbfg7mYRhytstLWs4-xEVvYLzE05G8IlUnJMdfJ_Wlb0oVMPWHKch31hpeHwQvANev2I3wHg0mq0v6E1mpJb7_X5WexG3aQ_f-80mvXhEMTxje3IzyVWwN6Hkb5QZNQ9dqTj-bQ/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbfg7mYRhytstLWs4-xEVvYLzE05G8IlUnJMdfJ_Wlb0oVMPWHKch31hpeHwQvANev2I3wHg0mq0v6E1mpJb7_X5WexG3aQ_f-80mvXhEMTxje3IzyVWwN6Hkb5QZNQ9dqTj-bQ/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704212109728665906" /></a><br /><br />The trailer edit itself should be done pretty soon, but then we still have to finish sound work and color correction on the film so that the look of the footage in the trailer will match what the final look of the film turns out to be. So I'm not sure precisely when it will be released for public consumption - but I will tell you that watching the trailer made me excited about this film all over again.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-902348750735205092011-12-13T14:33:00.000-08:002011-12-28T13:34:26.065-08:00Editing Where We Started: MusicIt's been a long time since I've blogged - had a busy semester as we've been trying to complete the picture cut of the movie. But as we move toward completion of that (and it's nearly done), I've been working with composer Mike Hogan on the score. Today, I spent the afternoon listening to his compositions and working with him on changes. It's terrific working with him - he's both flexible and precise. Nitpicky when he needs to be. We get along creatively because we're both similar - open to the ideas of others but also sure of what we want and what we like.<br /><br />Anyway, here's a shot of Mike from today in his home office/studio.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUhZ41hsvUBVhQMoTMEF606Kmi5iUonndOAdDIK4w0zV1N6s_tV-21NuU_57r1jeyDXSF5JRI9494GoNJjPMknXtyKApqZIOChQjoKYDk5ezhK1GbJtDx-v2pvW0jQf-TjBUfaw/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUhZ41hsvUBVhQMoTMEF606Kmi5iUonndOAdDIK4w0zV1N6s_tV-21NuU_57r1jeyDXSF5JRI9494GoNJjPMknXtyKApqZIOChQjoKYDk5ezhK1GbJtDx-v2pvW0jQf-TjBUfaw/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685746381705953458" /></a>Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-69209822776925283312011-09-26T08:04:00.000-07:002011-09-26T08:06:41.540-07:00Slacker 2011 (Dallas)This summer, I was asked to participate in the Dallas VideoFest's celebration of the 20th anniversary of Richard Linklater's Slacker by directing a remake of one of the segments. <br /><br />This is my take on "Been to the Moon," starring Thomas Ward and Wes Cunningham, camera work by Brian Elliott, sound and post finishing by Andru Anderson, editing and color by Grant Hall.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/29606914?portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/29606914">Slacker 2011 (Dallas)</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/chrishansen">Chris Hansen</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-104611836483267312011-09-15T07:41:00.000-07:002011-09-15T07:45:03.960-07:00Editing Where We Started: Screen CapturesLast night, at the request of DP Taylor Rudd, I made some screencaps of the film. Since the rough cut is in, he wanted to see some frames. This morning, I thought I might share some of these terrific images with everyone else. These are taken right from my screen - you can even see the Quicktime window surrounding the images.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoU33qTPeFdLI55-xlIEYsUs1ALTwVaNw47mfLqqaEbejAXWench5yeHxAMCs99uQKBLXkI7NOwuqvt_nw8cFlY5nTgKXwdenQXBundF0DXzALEux5W84RVCrklasBYgcH67zpCg/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.13.49+PM.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoU33qTPeFdLI55-xlIEYsUs1ALTwVaNw47mfLqqaEbejAXWench5yeHxAMCs99uQKBLXkI7NOwuqvt_nw8cFlY5nTgKXwdenQXBundF0DXzALEux5W84RVCrklasBYgcH67zpCg/s400/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.13.49+PM.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652596978145986482" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsRMf9LiVuU2MziJQbqZ802TepDqO-gnBTVxnGPykV5cyWwYYv-vMlL6OyYONy-g1fVPRmlL-0cGtVaNXDi_dciBvSm126Pd5jX5Y7bOQJ-p4ZuuRpu5S3R3heBTeA-YxjS61Cw/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.13.43+PM.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsRMf9LiVuU2MziJQbqZ802TepDqO-gnBTVxnGPykV5cyWwYYv-vMlL6OyYONy-g1fVPRmlL-0cGtVaNXDi_dciBvSm126Pd5jX5Y7bOQJ-p4ZuuRpu5S3R3heBTeA-YxjS61Cw/s400/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.13.43+PM.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652596970691176546" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ThRM_PVkTm4f_9Itg8c-6iTgDNzMAW2oEUFQNoBm2QKdJ55KE-2r_RWPvTFB59CBT7TxZcc8oHWarnXPv0XeANMu-XzBrMM7nnxPjRiwoDYo5pS6K3tPrBfKRezGy-TUkhjCCQ/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.13.31+PM.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ThRM_PVkTm4f_9Itg8c-6iTgDNzMAW2oEUFQNoBm2QKdJ55KE-2r_RWPvTFB59CBT7TxZcc8oHWarnXPv0XeANMu-XzBrMM7nnxPjRiwoDYo5pS6K3tPrBfKRezGy-TUkhjCCQ/s400/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.13.31+PM.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652596968931123778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQHASo3PI6nb7w1k05bO73RpOCDUDbYOpY7gkBj56OZAUOYc8t6W93Pr20R3H0NxOjigD5VNFj_CVD0cNZ6JUFsCEON40r940bCL124sNvnu1KReRa6Hc45XO5-AQ6TzSQ71ggA/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.13.06+PM.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQHASo3PI6nb7w1k05bO73RpOCDUDbYOpY7gkBj56OZAUOYc8t6W93Pr20R3H0NxOjigD5VNFj_CVD0cNZ6JUFsCEON40r940bCL124sNvnu1KReRa6Hc45XO5-AQ6TzSQ71ggA/s400/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.13.06+PM.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652596965219735490" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KDTMOfNldyLEYP1nHBGzgwAXs2TMEVOZAWHE6cxWp3Dws5eO8dV9EmSgFqnxoKCty-NHJLk790gZZubr_IYe4bVWm5uTODvExavFUpwA9NOY7CR4aCypu5YynQfG1q6J8dEX4g/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.14.20+PM.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KDTMOfNldyLEYP1nHBGzgwAXs2TMEVOZAWHE6cxWp3Dws5eO8dV9EmSgFqnxoKCty-NHJLk790gZZubr_IYe4bVWm5uTODvExavFUpwA9NOY7CR4aCypu5YynQfG1q6J8dEX4g/s400/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.14.20+PM.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652596979680608882" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83O-tIFL8pwl7ozLwHh3pc3XZwxp9xpJeN7WKIlTSLZBBLvmQkKAlezDNTpFovmOR1rlTN4xW3p6gEGYMv3HsmpnJzFqaMEuAyFKE1SJR3zRFhTY0WlFckz6Zs63kb8nfmw6Hxg/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.14.28+PM.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83O-tIFL8pwl7ozLwHh3pc3XZwxp9xpJeN7WKIlTSLZBBLvmQkKAlezDNTpFovmOR1rlTN4xW3p6gEGYMv3HsmpnJzFqaMEuAyFKE1SJR3zRFhTY0WlFckz6Zs63kb8nfmw6Hxg/s400/Screen+shot+2011-09-14+at+9.14.28+PM.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652597347287749250" /></a>Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-6601073330801815192011-09-14T20:03:00.000-07:002011-09-14T20:24:49.047-07:00Editing Where We Started: Reviewing Rough CutsSo editor Simon Tondeur sent me the first rough cut of <span style="font-style:italic;">Where We Started</span> a week ago. I was both excited and anxious. Excited for obvious reasons - this is my film! But I was nervous because I had to re-engage with what I had done (about which I've felt pretty good) and whether or not it was working.<br /><br />In other words, I had to leave my positive memories of the shoot behind and focus on what we actually got and whether or not it was working.<br /><br />I closed my office door and watched the film all the way through with few interruptions, which to my mind was an important part of the process. You can look at an individual scene to see if it works, but employing that method makes it hard to determine if the film as a whole is doing what you want it to do.<br /><br />And I came to the end of the film and thought that were some good scenes, but as a whole it wasn't coming together yet.<br /><br />Simon asked me later that night to articulate what my favorite scenes were and what my least favorite scenes were.<br /><br />As I wrote out those thoughts to him, it occurred to me that what was lacking in some scenes was the inclusion of more shots that had both actors in the frame (as opposed to lots of close-ups).<br /><br />That sounds like a trivial thing, but in a film that deals quite a bit with the intimacy between two people, I realized that not seeing them occupy the same space in the same frame might be a part of the problem.<br /><br />Simon knows that as well but was struggling with continuity issues. That is, the actions of the actors in the wider shots didn't often match their actions in the closer shots, so it was hard to cut between them (because there is a mismatch that takes viewers out of the 'moment'). Nevertheless, he dug back in to make those changes and some others as well.<br /><br />I watched most of the second rough cut today (I couldn't finish because I ran out of time at the end of the day after numerous interruptions). And I have to say that the cut seemed to really work, so far, with the changes that were made. I started to sense this connection between these two characters like I hadn't felt in the first cut. <br /><br />So that's a long-winded way of saying that I really think this movie is coming together.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-51499558242659606702011-08-10T19:05:00.000-07:002011-08-10T19:11:10.216-07:00Editing Where We Started: Update from the EditorPostproduction on <span style="font-style:italic;">Where We Started</span> was interrupted recently because our editor, Simon Tondeur, was in the middle of a move from apartment to home. He emailed the following photo to me tonight with the tagline "Finally, back up and running..."
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCX0CxiD-ECLBkASC7eSXwTRHcUyZCLawTrWS1OYsuPadbatJJk1ivD1_NPb7-jnaMmmJmaBUagD1Vwl3HCpOmu2UsuRCpub6d6a13f4PO-77D86fObdHW00zDAScKQdRKzH5Yw/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCX0CxiD-ECLBkASC7eSXwTRHcUyZCLawTrWS1OYsuPadbatJJk1ivD1_NPb7-jnaMmmJmaBUagD1Vwl3HCpOmu2UsuRCpub6d6a13f4PO-77D86fObdHW00zDAScKQdRKzH5Yw/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639414532128675090" /></a>
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<br />That's his editing set-up in his new home office. I'm happy for him to have his own space for editing now, and I'm also pleased that editing can continue!
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<br />And that's footage from <span style="font-style:italic;">Where We Started</span> up on his Final Cut Pro system. I'm looking forward (with fear and trembling?) to seeing the first cut.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-62144621160344561162011-07-28T09:12:00.000-07:002011-07-28T09:17:57.658-07:00Publication News: American Messiah screenplayBig news: Bad Lit Press has published the screenplay from my first film, <a href="http://www.americanmessiah.com">The Proper Care & Feeding of an American Messiah</a>, for Kindle. Now you can read the script from the hilarious film! Read the announcement here: <a href="http://www.badlit.com/?p=18158">http://www.badlit.com/?p=18158</a><br /><br />And then go buy the script for your Kindle (or your Kindle app on your smartphone or computer!): <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EM2Q1U">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EM2Q1U</a>Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-47744006955878476902011-07-12T20:51:00.000-07:002011-07-12T21:01:20.111-07:00Editing Where We Started: The Official Start of PostAs you all know, we finished the production phase of the movie in late June. And with this photo, the post-production phase begins:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGUyOumCLoSkFo2xRslRb5ahg5y_mzcEZHHOnROv54LVoCE_WbIslehHHSATJUOdiLRYi0mkFEa8su-4E5NnIv7X-IrZteYnkPxG6J191TBXmPYFW4tX1D5wC3z18QfGDRTWG6g/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGUyOumCLoSkFo2xRslRb5ahg5y_mzcEZHHOnROv54LVoCE_WbIslehHHSATJUOdiLRYi0mkFEa8su-4E5NnIv7X-IrZteYnkPxG6J191TBXmPYFW4tX1D5wC3z18QfGDRTWG6g/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628680108913663026" /></a><br /><br />That's the hard drive containing all the synced footage of the film as it arrived on the doorstep of editor <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2137361/">Simon Tondeur</a>, in Los Angeles (thanks to Simon for taking the photo for me before grabbing the package and taking it inside).<br /><br />For me, as a writer-director, postproduction is both a blessing and a curse. Part of me really enjoys the chance to let the film go for a bit and let someone else begin the process of putting it together. They say that a film is written three times: first, when the script is penned. Second, when that script is interpreted by the actors and director in the production process; and third, when the editor edits the film. And since the postproduction phase is the last phase, the editor in some ways has the final word. So while I am glad to have a break from the story and let someone else interpret it, I'm also hesitant and anxious about someone else taking charge of my story.<br /><br />Fortunately, I have worked with Simon before. He edited my last film, <a href="http://www.endings-movie.com">Endings</a>, and he brought a sharp eye for storytelling to the project. He corrected some narrative 'errors' I made that were not caught by any of the people who read the script, and he helped make it work in a way that it wouldn't have otherwise worked.<br /><br />So I have great confidence in his ability, and I'm looking forward to seeing what he comes up with!Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-45471559545199748602011-06-30T20:18:00.000-07:002011-06-30T20:26:43.385-07:00Wrapping "Where We Started": Actors and ActingI spent some time today with Matt and Cora, the lead actors from <span style="font-style:italic;">Where We Started</span>. Cora departs for her next destination tomorrow, and Matt the next day, so I wanted to spend some more time with them.<br /><br />I wanted to do this because, well, I had such a terrific time on this production. I was reflecting on this with Matt and Cora when we hung out today. I have known Matt for almost 20 years, so our reconnection on this film and my last one (<span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.endings-movie.com">Endings</a></span>) is always a treat. And getting to know Cora was great. I felt a real connection with them as friends and creative people, and I'm hoping to work with them again soon.<br /><br />I'm constantly in awe of great actors and how they do what they do. I wanted to act a little when I was in high school and college, so I've thought about this a bit, and I've acted a bit. But I never really trained in it after high school, hence my awe.<br /><br />They are able to slip into these emotional states that defy my imagination. I wish I could do that! And to get two talented actors to work on my film? That's an great coincidence. To make a creative and personal connection with them? That's an honor.<br /><br />So I'm dedicating this post, for whatever that's worth, to Matt and Cora and their incredible work on <span style="font-style:italic;">Where We Started</span>. Thanks, both of you, for your commitment and your talent.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-27651158433222377392011-06-29T18:47:00.001-07:002011-06-29T20:16:22.593-07:00Goodbye 30sWell, the day is almost here when I must bid adieu to my 30s. It hasn't been a bad decade. In my 30s, the following things occurred:<br /><br /><LI>we had two terrific children (we had the other two terrific children when I was in my 20s); (also, note that I didn't say that *I* had two children, since, well, I'm a man, and we're biologically incapable of that);<br /><LI>I made four films (three features and one short) that have played in 40+ film festivals, and the latest one isn't even out yet;<br /><LI>I got a job teaching film at Baylor University;<br /><LI>I earned tenure at that job, which essentially means I can keep it for life;<br /><LI>I was appointed head of the program in which I teach;<br /><LI>I edited a book of essays that was published by an academic publisher;<br /><LI>I contributed a chapter to another published book of essays.<br /><br />So, that's not a bad decade of accomplishments, I suppose. I'm wondering if my 40s are going to be able to top that. Well 40s - are you up to the challenge?Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-82528789305814794552011-06-28T21:10:00.000-07:002011-06-28T21:19:52.811-07:00Shooting Where We Started: Wrapping the SetToday, the crew had to tear down our set. What took over a month to build was gone in hours. A set is by definition a temporary structure, but it's still sad to see it go after so much work and money went into it. Producer Brian Elliott documented the process.<br /><br />After an hour and a half:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRLztlKBEentA66rMiypIpI04wzckPfKsMfPJVMNNTqneF0pXZlIYvc_Zsr48FWjMSbiou-1pjOF3_Vzp06BdBMnttgL_zmN47UQlNLKJqxs1VTfWqXc8V9urJbhVRGNF6c8uPg/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRLztlKBEentA66rMiypIpI04wzckPfKsMfPJVMNNTqneF0pXZlIYvc_Zsr48FWjMSbiou-1pjOF3_Vzp06BdBMnttgL_zmN47UQlNLKJqxs1VTfWqXc8V9urJbhVRGNF6c8uPg/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623490132925550850" /></a><br /><br />After two and a half hours:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxVBkRwSFREcyqUcaGjD3BhGdHQQLOM1J_tZWpyR1xYlhGtyh0Bw2glhLwuGfGANqV3XWNVXI8RgqW5uRWf92A6AWzEQd7mBhMOdmFBBZgSsp_x7o06911HwmxQUbFvZk3SX2_Q/s1600/photo%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxVBkRwSFREcyqUcaGjD3BhGdHQQLOM1J_tZWpyR1xYlhGtyh0Bw2glhLwuGfGANqV3XWNVXI8RgqW5uRWf92A6AWzEQd7mBhMOdmFBBZgSsp_x7o06911HwmxQUbFvZk3SX2_Q/s400/photo%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623490137732520418" /></a><br /><br />After three and a half hours:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcep1CzKeqnr99ltJ427RQM3R2mV0zWqoKHVMoVfvsvP9R3VKSHH8PtIOFNPYxE3oPXuzqeM9c9d14SGv99JJBfu0xtkIOTme9ZxGc2Vv0Ee1I1ggdX3zN8YQme_j0j-DmML3HpQ/s1600/photo%255B2%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcep1CzKeqnr99ltJ427RQM3R2mV0zWqoKHVMoVfvsvP9R3VKSHH8PtIOFNPYxE3oPXuzqeM9c9d14SGv99JJBfu0xtkIOTme9ZxGc2Vv0Ee1I1ggdX3zN8YQme_j0j-DmML3HpQ/s400/photo%255B2%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623490138068469346" /></a><br /><br />And that's it. Poof - like it never existed. It's just scrap wood now.<br /><br />Tonight we had a wrap party. Great food, and no worries about getting back to production after the meal. We settled in to watch a few videos - funny and serious - that the students had made behind the scenes. But before that, the crew surprised me with happy birthday wishes and a Boston Cream Pie (one of my favorites). Since I turn 40 on Friday, I'm bidding adieu to my youth - and I received plenty of ribbing.<br /><br />The videos were good fun, and the company was great. I gave a few gifts to some of my collaborators - tokens, really, but just a way to say how much I appreciate them. And I received a nice album of production photos from my actors.<br /><br />What a great experience. I certainly hope the film is good, but in the end, regardless of the outcome, I need to remember that this part of the experience has been terrific.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-9438123338963620072011-06-28T00:38:00.000-07:002011-06-28T00:55:56.055-07:00Shooting Where We Started: That's a Wrap!We finished. Principal photography on <span style="font-style:italic;">Where We Started</span> is complete. I left the set at 2am, and tomorrow is equipment check-in and set breakdown.<br /><br />I'm almost out of things to say. So maybe the blog will be brief tonight.<br /><br />We managed to save probably the most difficult scene in the movie for the last day of shooting. We tried to schedule the production roughly in chronological order, and though that went awry at some points (I'm looking at you, motel in Marlin), we did manage to have large chunks in order, which helped the actors maintain and track their character arcs through the film. But it also meant that the emotional climax of the movie was shot today, the last day of production. It was a tough scene that required lead actress Cora Vander Broek to be more or less emotionally naked. For an actor to ramp up to that level of exposure on screen, it takes time and energy. And if you know anything about production, you know that you have to cover every scene from multiple angles, so Cora had to reach that level multiple times over several hours. Not easy. I have great respect for her talent and drive.<br /><br />Like most nights on set, things just seem to drag on. People were getting giddy (with anticipation, I imagine). But we still had some serious stuff to shoot. In the end, we shot what will likely be the final image in the movie. And then we spent another 45 minutes or so picking up some insert shots of objects around the room to use as transition shots if necessary.<br /><br />After that, I shouted, "That's a wrap!" Everyone cheered. There's a real sense of accomplishment. I opted not to try to make a speech - there was still much work to be done in cleaning up and loading the van. Plus we have a wrap party tomorrow night, and wrap parties are for speeches.<br /><br />Somehow I managed not to take many photos today, so I leave you with just these last two.<br /><br />On-Set Post Supervisor Grant Hall is at his station, capturing footage to an external drive while we also capture to the camera. He was also working on syncing picture and sound on his laptop.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZSE3CoXXAwrwqTaqwMTpLpjDzlVJvCfQDmkbN_Dp-nYqxZGUAB-P0V2G_e6AYAdnlnTwijmPm1-VAWDnITK2sx2MrbA2BL0CTVg5h69qSquo1mPyUQ4r8-HQJkB-aTMVTBIY-Q/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZSE3CoXXAwrwqTaqwMTpLpjDzlVJvCfQDmkbN_Dp-nYqxZGUAB-P0V2G_e6AYAdnlnTwijmPm1-VAWDnITK2sx2MrbA2BL0CTVg5h69qSquo1mPyUQ4r8-HQJkB-aTMVTBIY-Q/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623175008585676690" /></a><br /><br />And Nelsyn Hill, one of our undergraduate students who served in a variety of capacities on the set (including her gig tonight as boom operator) poked her head out through the set curtains, and I snapped a picture of it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMHfz_IuWhSyq29frAP7CQzunXELpiPKozuBV3OMqckiqlbfL-k3QrgI1GYufBhrW-YM81Hac8MMqeGhmXQTf80cSL_e5A79u1r6EhL7rtqBzxEctyCAivWW4PvGRIBo9oVdljQ/s1600/photo%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMHfz_IuWhSyq29frAP7CQzunXELpiPKozuBV3OMqckiqlbfL-k3QrgI1GYufBhrW-YM81Hac8MMqeGhmXQTf80cSL_e5A79u1r6EhL7rtqBzxEctyCAivWW4PvGRIBo9oVdljQ/s400/photo%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623175750886302226" /></a><br /><br />I'll probably take some time off from blogging - not much to say in the immediate aftermath. But I'll be posting updates as things happen, and perhaps reflecting on various aspects of the process.<br /><br />And finally, because I think it needs to be said, I want to thank Brian Elliott for his work as Producer, Taylor Rudd for his beautiful images, Matthew Brumlow and Cora Vander Broek for their beautiful performances, and everyone else who was involved in the film for their hard work in helping translate this vision to the screen.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-16165554349882156232011-06-26T23:54:00.000-07:002011-06-27T00:50:15.022-07:00Shooting Where We Started: The Penultimate DayBefore I compose my thoughts on today's shooting, let me just state this: tomorrow is the last day of principal photography on my third feature film.<br /><br />And that, my friends, is a really nice feeling. The mushy middle of the shoot, when the days and nights have grown long and the shoot feels like it will never reach a conclusion, gave way to a countdown of days where I realized I was doing what I loved, day in and day out, and I didn't want it to end.<br /><br />Now, to be sure, I am exhausted and couldn't go on doing this indefinitely. But I get to work with committed creative people all day. What's not to love? At one point tonight, while the DP was relighting for a new scene, I was sitting in the green room with the two lead actors talking about the ephemeral nature of theatrical performance, about how a performance on the stage is there for only a moment, captured only in memory, and is then gone forever. This is in contrast to the performance captured in the cinema - which is recorded for posterity and can be seen, always the same, forever and forever. It's an interesting difference, one which Stephen Tobolowsky was discussing on his podcast, <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/category/features/slashfilmcast/the-tobolowsky-files/">The Tobolowsky Files</a> (highly recommended, by the way; Tobo is an excellent storyteller and a really thoughtful guy).<br /><br />Anyway - that's the kind of experience you get on the set just in the waiting between takes, if you're open to it, if you make yourself available. Like most other people in this day and age, I'm easily distracted by my iPhone, iPad, and other electronic devices. It's easy to waste the hours between shots and setups by focusing on those. But I love chatting with the actors, the director of photography, the producer. I'm a naturally quiet and introverted guy, but the opportunity to engage in these talks energizes me.<br /><br />Today's shoot was longer than expected. We had to finished scene 27 (we shot about three-fifths of it the day before), and then also shoot scene 29 (which was very simple - a page of dialogue in one or two setup). I knew we would get through those quickly, so I also planned to do several of the next day's setups tonight, so that our final day of production, which features some challenging material, wouldn't be too rushed. But the setups that I thought would be simple were not, it turned out, so simple. I should know by know that everything takes three times longer than what I think it will take (and half the time that the DP wants to spend - no offense to my excellent DP, Taylor Rudd - he likes tweak, as does every DP I've ever met, but he's also respectful of the schedule).<br /><br />The night dragged on, but since we were working with a skeleton crew today, we just pushed through. We did start to get 'punchy' at around midnight (early for us, but everyone's exhausted from the overnights last week). People were making silly jokes, the crew was tempting me with late night goldfish snacks, and the reading of the slate whenever we marked a shot was turning into an exercise in bizarre non-sequiturs. I'm amazed Matt (the actor) was able to perform his somber scenes amidst such cutting up. We were hardly professional tonight (my apologies to Matt - though I don't think he minded too much).<br /><br />I made it home by about 1:30am and am once again too wired for sleep just yet. And tomorrow we wrap it all up. <br /><br />Finally, some more pictures for you. Sorry about the color and quality on some.<br /><br />As we were tweaking lighting on a shot, Matt decided to turn this into a very different type of movie. Cue the Psycho music...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-bDVv67Eo78121UwQp9tH-0vpldnNShnN7oURHxVY0GyCTgMmFugBkTqDH92Xpce5cZjGfQfn6WLZQrci6oMtiaSLPlODkfvBF90r3PXeRLT3ay3q9xgkFpmWImcbscrx0jFPQ/s1600/photo%255B4%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-bDVv67Eo78121UwQp9tH-0vpldnNShnN7oURHxVY0GyCTgMmFugBkTqDH92Xpce5cZjGfQfn6WLZQrci6oMtiaSLPlODkfvBF90r3PXeRLT3ay3q9xgkFpmWImcbscrx0jFPQ/s400/photo%255B4%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622793720895139266" /></a><br /><br />The next two shots were my attempt to show the DP what the actors and I had decided on for their positions for the next scene. I posed them on the bed and took a few shots while Taylor was working on a different lighting setup in the other room.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ISiGkEpqFB2l5yZR9-uoK2wF8KOGjDoTPTuQmDCwLdWGUsbq5c-Xp6oUiU7CxZmRHVAbpOGKYJJUNCD5b0ocwnv_pzhx7yYQMe0mZmlSvXhRy4sw_TUNx4MKx1Oa6cMb4tJ4Kw/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ISiGkEpqFB2l5yZR9-uoK2wF8KOGjDoTPTuQmDCwLdWGUsbq5c-Xp6oUiU7CxZmRHVAbpOGKYJJUNCD5b0ocwnv_pzhx7yYQMe0mZmlSvXhRy4sw_TUNx4MKx1Oa6cMb4tJ4Kw/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622794507887318514" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALXpmLYtdJ9PPEBLeg2JaEY8TLeZklMgXyyHJ2j6cndjcsXJXtxHbCyDFUtKnNqQN4RNqRESmb8FuD-8qc9JAsysnb9c8UYQBud2J9xsNDt9i4coLVz0EslTx0LOI1LguXigrng/s1600/photo%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALXpmLYtdJ9PPEBLeg2JaEY8TLeZklMgXyyHJ2j6cndjcsXJXtxHbCyDFUtKnNqQN4RNqRESmb8FuD-8qc9JAsysnb9c8UYQBud2J9xsNDt9i4coLVz0EslTx0LOI1LguXigrng/s400/photo%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622794513235545154" /></a><br /><br />To achieve the lighting Taylor and I wanted for this setup, he created what he termed "a Tweaker's Dream" - a maze of c-stands and flags around a light, so that it would only illuminate a very limited space.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRRS6jicCmDNmhnnqDdu5Ve4ZZdFdkLL6jxQLVBrumfi1AoyfA5-a9sD7s1_ws2-NrvZJYH2iNJ3REDC0kn28ZYGhRdGEPg6LJ1KiEkfIHDoo1UTWScLlXxBqwxGXpgXR81A7Pg/s1600/Photo1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRRS6jicCmDNmhnnqDdu5Ve4ZZdFdkLL6jxQLVBrumfi1AoyfA5-a9sD7s1_ws2-NrvZJYH2iNJ3REDC0kn28ZYGhRdGEPg6LJ1KiEkfIHDoo1UTWScLlXxBqwxGXpgXR81A7Pg/s400/Photo1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622795203447818786" /></a><br /><br />Here, Taylor prepares to actually shoot that scene. I wanted a high angle/overhead and very wide shot, so we had a wide angle lens on the camera, and Taylor had to get a little higher on the ladder than he was comfortable doing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjpWXkFLU-Hglt09qK7tS-jtFrYg2zlRG3hRwQ5XX9m1o81QxWWMy8I0P_LoRcv8sp5DeVTpxVtW_fXU352-x2AufA1xstuXsBLhUOjnT41polqeScrkjg9RFyNbXayBL2jcJJg/s1600/photo%255B3%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjpWXkFLU-Hglt09qK7tS-jtFrYg2zlRG3hRwQ5XX9m1o81QxWWMy8I0P_LoRcv8sp5DeVTpxVtW_fXU352-x2AufA1xstuXsBLhUOjnT41polqeScrkjg9RFyNbXayBL2jcJJg/s400/photo%255B3%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622795729701038882" /></a><br /><br />In this shot, Matt and Cora are clearly happy with that shot - they are reviewing it on the monitor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_gBE4SOdEyc-FbPdwgeK2v-SxDSLtH5mCgPfQyKKIH6PHrGbRUB46wsqyz-DgDTFyQwTJmqSqZ60wbADQvCgAa9bIzMGc4xu21NlgGtsvkAc5cXy5IOPHSNqwKB_3hn99N9Y4Q/s1600/photo%255B5%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_gBE4SOdEyc-FbPdwgeK2v-SxDSLtH5mCgPfQyKKIH6PHrGbRUB46wsqyz-DgDTFyQwTJmqSqZ60wbADQvCgAa9bIzMGc4xu21NlgGtsvkAc5cXy5IOPHSNqwKB_3hn99N9Y4Q/s400/photo%255B5%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622796300724459218" /></a><br /><br />And the last shot of tonight - some of the diehard late nighters - from left to right: Grant Hall (Postproduction Supervisor), Brian Elliott (Producer), Heesung Song (2nd AC), Tyler Ellis (Production Designer), Rob Norman (First AD). Good work to them and all the others on set. One of the reasons I posted this picture - and one of the things I really like about it - is that there is a real sense of camaraderie on the set. People like each other and enjoy being together. In spite of the hard work, people are having fun. Making movies is hard work, no doubt, but it also can be really enjoyable. It's hard work in the service of art and entertainment.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPhe86iWWLu0OusQZhFDwyWkhr7A8bPeLTv1x9ftOBOeH5mxl5sVuzTOttgg0nVfNab8BWNeVdRzG7QJNBMsII6B3d02UfO_2soUDCxj_NpsRb_XfcZf5d5TxNY-BxYRT0C-vqg/s1600/photo%255B6%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPhe86iWWLu0OusQZhFDwyWkhr7A8bPeLTv1x9ftOBOeH5mxl5sVuzTOttgg0nVfNab8BWNeVdRzG7QJNBMsII6B3d02UfO_2soUDCxj_NpsRb_XfcZf5d5TxNY-BxYRT0C-vqg/s400/photo%255B6%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622797401021578114" /></a><br /><br />So tomorrow - did I mention that it's the last day of production?Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-44858019465659508382011-06-25T21:47:00.000-07:002011-06-25T22:03:59.812-07:00Shooting Where We Started: The Final PushToday represents our final push on the production phase of the movie. We have three studio-bound days remaining. They are full days of emotional material, but we are very happy to be on the set again, away from the elements and in a location we can control. It feels more like "home" - and it's nice to have a home base.<br /><br />It was a mostly uneventful day. The machinery of moviemaking marches on. Master shot, close up, next set up, etc. One bit of excitement occurred in the middle of a take when our boom operator, Lauren, began to pass out. She apparently got a bit overheated and/or dehydrated. In mid-take, those of us who couldn't see her wondered why the boom suddenly started making noise. Then Cora jumped up from her position on the bed to support Lauren. Everyone quickly rushed into the room to help.<br /><br />Lauren recovered quickly and was probably embarrassed that we were all asking her if she was okay for the next hour. She was fine but light headed, but regardless, we sent her home for safety. <br /><br />Never a dull moment...<br /><br />A few photos for your enjoyment:<br /><br />DP Taylor Rudd prepares to shoot an overhead shot from above the set. Note: this is, as Taylor said, a good example of how not to do this, but I didn't come up with this shot until this morning, so we just went with it. I have tried not to be overprepared on this shoot. It's easy to be a slave to your notes, and I've tried to practice what I preach on this film by letting the actors' natural blocking dictate the shots. And on occasion, like with this shot, it's just that you think of a different way to see something, and you roll with it. Taylor is more than happy to roll with it (in part because we often are rolling with ideas that he came up with).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NFlDKQTwYhjJIGqp9E6GV75gaI_Z0kwu8iH7gAMtWZX95pJBDFxonBjWeMx4Y-IRYS72uNI3JT3dT0M5twDlby8GigqQTheREIxcrDLkwrDcSIq0yyU-PD09bcvQu2AtlolmuA/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NFlDKQTwYhjJIGqp9E6GV75gaI_Z0kwu8iH7gAMtWZX95pJBDFxonBjWeMx4Y-IRYS72uNI3JT3dT0M5twDlby8GigqQTheREIxcrDLkwrDcSIq0yyU-PD09bcvQu2AtlolmuA/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622386796404891778" /></a><br /><br />Here, I caught Cora and Matthew in an unguarded moment between setups.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrNbvSxa9x4Kt2jghCXf3DG2k964-NJH-GUx17E7_-IXKaPW4Pgx440qJcZFNZLCQbZtt5ieucn805TQhO-axt0uNzHCusXW4j6KS16xNmWc_mFLVcjIbB0p1tXpx8NaSSySYhQ/s1600/photo%255B2%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrNbvSxa9x4Kt2jghCXf3DG2k964-NJH-GUx17E7_-IXKaPW4Pgx440qJcZFNZLCQbZtt5ieucn805TQhO-axt0uNzHCusXW4j6KS16xNmWc_mFLVcjIbB0p1tXpx8NaSSySYhQ/s400/photo%255B2%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622388306276960402" /></a><br /><br />This is a shot taken from my monitor at Director's Camp.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhxKnQf1QazthiRWC7XYeOzfC8KU1dUtfwqyhI4D0DYB9TIY-RTjqAmWjVGMg0LWUy8BH9fLiZS8bt37dX8DTc9gPwulFBftmyyF5hIfijyulPvKztVyibFUTRQ3hJjr35S9SrQ/s1600/photo%255B3%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhxKnQf1QazthiRWC7XYeOzfC8KU1dUtfwqyhI4D0DYB9TIY-RTjqAmWjVGMg0LWUy8BH9fLiZS8bt37dX8DTc9gPwulFBftmyyF5hIfijyulPvKztVyibFUTRQ3hJjr35S9SrQ/s400/photo%255B3%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622388596970562786" /></a><br /><br />And finally, just for fun, I captured this picture of Matt's foot. It came to our attention tonight that he has rather long toes - so long that it is a bit of an inside joke in his family. Here' Cora compares the size of her finger to Matt's toes. Impressive digits, Mr. Brumlow.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBv713xMZD5vl7pvPywwjFHOCQAscSyt1RJsCQUWwx-8gK5MntntZAY7i-zF55UNjisXR68xJ32UisVQdkz6lB50l9ffLJnfzvQArVTwGeokBFIdm4F8daXY8k8886SvsBVbgjw/s1600/photo%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBv713xMZD5vl7pvPywwjFHOCQAscSyt1RJsCQUWwx-8gK5MntntZAY7i-zF55UNjisXR68xJ32UisVQdkz6lB50l9ffLJnfzvQArVTwGeokBFIdm4F8daXY8k8886SvsBVbgjw/s400/photo%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622389087669598338" /></a>Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-25462524591082878102011-06-23T19:59:00.000-07:002011-06-23T20:01:13.114-07:00A New Title for An AffairOkay, so the title "An Affair" was always a bit of a placeholder. And now, after much effort testing titles and playing around with ideas, we have some up with the title for the movie.<br /><br />An Affair is now titled: <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Where We Started</span></span>.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-66707992598359345882011-06-23T03:58:00.000-07:002011-06-23T04:12:17.872-07:00Shooting An Affair: Day Thirteen (our last overnight)It's 6am as I sit down to write this. The sun is already rising, which means I should be trying to get to bed ASAP. We just finished our last overnight of the shoot. We will be back on a more sane schedule after a couple of days off.<br /><br />It's funny - a shoot is such a difficult and tiring process. In the first third, adrenaline propels you. In the second third, you start to long for the finish line. And in the last third, you start to mourn the fact that you won't be able to do this much longer. Admittedly, I'm exhausted and looking forward to being done. But I'm making art with friends. It's fun even though it's hard.<br /><br />I was reflecting tonight on what a great environment we have on our set. One night, DP Taylor Rudd's family dropped by while we were setting up. His father is a colleague of mine (in another department) at Baylor University, and Taylor's brothers were passing through town. So his entire family, including young niece and nephew, stopped by. The kids played on our swing set while we talked for a bit. Some people would think of this as an interruption. For me, this kind of work environment is exactly what I want. There are certain times when we need more focus and less people, but in many cases, I think it's great to have family stop by. I want family involved whenever possible. And the crew works such long hours together that they become a sort of family. I love seeing the bonding happen and getting to cut up with the students and have fun.<br /><br />Tonight was a good and uneventful night. It was our second night at the Elite Circle Grille, and we concluded our restaurant scene in plenty of time for a planned 6:30am wrap. I really hit a wall at 2am. I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open in between setups. As the crew was working on lighting, I was just waiting, and waiting at 2am is hard to do. But I got through it. I know everyone is dragging, but the fact that this would be our last overnight shoot gave us all a boost, I think.<br /><br />Finally, a few photos for you. Here, Taylor Rudd sets up a shot with actor Matt Brumlow.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN_o2BK20GmCnv0qrdGLZ2J2mPqOLjGEyWud4XmLaJikBksChhRsUsgO5lFeZ-UsTUzawQ6WJf7hhsth089QPrDXkNvUREyas_G89cNGCGx9fT_KS5IBxAoNEV0tqKkQvAr0q9A/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN_o2BK20GmCnv0qrdGLZ2J2mPqOLjGEyWud4XmLaJikBksChhRsUsgO5lFeZ-UsTUzawQ6WJf7hhsth089QPrDXkNvUREyas_G89cNGCGx9fT_KS5IBxAoNEV0tqKkQvAr0q9A/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621370220110833234" /></a><br /><br />In this photo, Matt awaits the next shot as he talks with producer Brian Elliott.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCub1ddEPc6azPkAvFQNVb7IVOqxOt8f2ZeW2iJQ58O4Y6GTiQQ3Xz8TOh-w-BilVfKezvJ510jpZiSiN_ymSYPucBB7cj6eznIWwS2Fgl0OYgv-bQFalS80Bj9a36MNd6iULkw/s1600/photo%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCub1ddEPc6azPkAvFQNVb7IVOqxOt8f2ZeW2iJQ58O4Y6GTiQQ3Xz8TOh-w-BilVfKezvJ510jpZiSiN_ymSYPucBB7cj6eznIWwS2Fgl0OYgv-bQFalS80Bj9a36MNd6iULkw/s400/photo%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621370536141654066" /></a><br /><br />I was sitting right next to camera as we shot part of the scene, and this image struck me. It's a notice on the side of the matte box and rail system.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinXL9N1Qw-IFwzBvYg57bbLu-JyBVpVPIyfs7i-ySKRZKG5t-FEbN9XhinmioqkdwewWHmWT5_kXgAh-4r2yKSd4SLOXrq1ORtIGvaeCMyZp69bTc417i7V6ohMuhJKERRF3Q7w/s1600/photo%255B2%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinXL9N1Qw-IFwzBvYg57bbLu-JyBVpVPIyfs7i-ySKRZKG5t-FEbN9XhinmioqkdwewWHmWT5_kXgAh-4r2yKSd4SLOXrq1ORtIGvaeCMyZp69bTc417i7V6ohMuhJKERRF3Q7w/s400/photo%255B2%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621370890027201682" /></a><br /><br />Finally, actors Matt and Cora prepare to shoot. This was my vantage point for watching the scene - right next to camera.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMkT3kxkEvELHlHdVTukpM_j7aqiYtqeB0DcYNmv1ZHlhGxfPHkkr-xmxnPopQWwOvl0h833ABoGg_a1uDbR8OFs9B_lafl9G_gIPgInaMPB9phw6QMSmizmq4YqfqQqvG98QEA/s1600/photo%255B3%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMkT3kxkEvELHlHdVTukpM_j7aqiYtqeB0DcYNmv1ZHlhGxfPHkkr-xmxnPopQWwOvl0h833ABoGg_a1uDbR8OFs9B_lafl9G_gIPgInaMPB9phw6QMSmizmq4YqfqQqvG98QEA/s400/photo%255B3%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621371262800011570" /></a><br /><br />Two days off to get our bodies to adjust to normal schedules, and then we start back on Saturday.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-17101861056686298832011-06-22T03:52:00.000-07:002011-06-22T04:21:11.159-07:00Shooting An Affair: Day Twelve (Power is our friend)Just another crazy night on the set of "An Affair"...<br /><br />I woke up around 2:30 this afternoon, still recovering from our long night in the vacant lot. I didn't feel well all day; my head was pounding, and I just couldn't seem to get it to stop no matter what I took. It finally started to clear after an ice pack, with only an hour to go before I had to leave the house.<br /><br />I met with the actors before the shoot to go over a few things, including a title change for the film. We have been discussing this on and off since we started writing. "An Affair" was always intended as a bit of a placeholder. I think we've settled on a new title, but I'll make a bigger announcement of that soon.<br /><br />So tonight began two nights in a restaurant shooting a long dinner scene. We were very fortunate to get permission to shoot in the Elite Circle Grille (so named because it is situated on Waco's only traffic circle). It's a great place with a long history in Waco. We had to wait til closing to start, of course, so we couldn't get in until about 9:30pm. This was also one of the nights when we needed a lot of extras to fill out the dining area and make it look like it wasn't just our two lead actors by themselves. These extras of course had to commit to being there all night with us - we were very fortunate to have some brave souls commit to this! One of them decided to be an extra as a way to write a piece about the film (and his experience of being an extra) for the local magazine, <span style="font-style:italic;">The Wacoan</span>. <br /><br />We knew there was going to be a thunderstorm tonight, but of course we were safe inside, so we weren't worried.<br /><br />And then the storm rolled in at 2:00am or so. And got worse. And worse. The rain and thunder really weren't impacting us, and the power flickered a couple of times but wasn't a problem. That is, until 3am, when the whole area went dark. We were in the middle of a take when everything died. The restaurant was pitch black.<br /><br />So we all sat quietly and waited to see what happened while the Asst Producer called our restaurant contact to see if he had any numbers at the city we could call.<br /><br />3am turned into 3:20am. We were hoping it might come back on, so we took our meal break. Everyone sat in the one room with emergency lighting. I sat alone at the bar because I just didn't feel like talking.<br /><br />After everyone had finished eating, and we had already discussed strategies since the lights were not coming back - and after I said, "Excuse me" to a potted plant because it was so dark in there - the lights flickered and came back on. 4am. We immediately got back to work.<br /><br />Fortunately, the extras in this shot had stuck with us (and the extras we needed for later shots agreed to come back tomorrow!). We managed to finish a good bit of the scene and get out of there before dawn.<br /><br />All of the craziness aside, we really are getting great footage. That's because our actors are ready to go all the time. Tonight, it was a wonder to watch Cora Vander Broek - we were shooting her medium shot when the power went out. When it came back, we picked up right where we left off, and she didn't miss a beat. And then we moved on to her close up, and as we were nearing 5am, she was still giving a great performance. I watched her bring this beautiful sadness to her scene, and Cora is not a sad person. She is sweet, funny, happy, and thoughtful - and then she clicks into character and just creates this awesome melancholy; it's a treat to watch. I am thankful they are so dedicated and committed. And I'm not leaving Matt Brumlow out; it's just that he gets his turn tomorrow when we shoot his coverage.<br /><br />I'm also thrilled at the way the crew snapped back to attention after the lull of the power outage. We were back up and running in no time. Good work, Baylor FDM students!<br /><br />Finally, I remembered to take some photos tonight so I could post them. Here, Keith Lindley (right, first AC) and Jordan Crumpler (left, second AC), prep the camera for our next shot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcX9EuLCjV6CAVMiX32lBin_2SrHF1zgFqNdUBHlYEu3RA2OlpXCkupuNGSy8f8IDfb3-bDE4_eEVRyvxhvbityY5bVvJ9w2XDw3SXz7MucL_peExOdlbOCoFqX08Ybq2znZWHg/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcX9EuLCjV6CAVMiX32lBin_2SrHF1zgFqNdUBHlYEu3RA2OlpXCkupuNGSy8f8IDfb3-bDE4_eEVRyvxhvbityY5bVvJ9w2XDw3SXz7MucL_peExOdlbOCoFqX08Ybq2znZWHg/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620999727719168978" /></a><br /><br />Actors Cora and Matthew discuss their scene. It only looks like Matthew is eating a light bulb...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF32MLDFJX4oXlGYRmBTY0FRhphmCJ5Wv3bqHjCGiSjbi5gcQmTAr1TP3f4fIk1Bbj9ZoxBsc2VQF8m3fU9JqBuoCS45FKSXhlh1YUFfyofc6iCpDi7qxPzYgrq7zGuEXaHZlo3A/s1600/photo%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF32MLDFJX4oXlGYRmBTY0FRhphmCJ5Wv3bqHjCGiSjbi5gcQmTAr1TP3f4fIk1Bbj9ZoxBsc2VQF8m3fU9JqBuoCS45FKSXhlh1YUFfyofc6iCpDi7qxPzYgrq7zGuEXaHZlo3A/s400/photo%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621000159161374210" /></a><br /><br />This is the setup for the food that is brought to their table in the scene. This has to be replicated for each shot, so continuity is important. And when the actors begin to eat it, we have to keep track of where things end up. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwHdodjM5zIeA68zni62X2h1-OPHpVq8vFhebSafhdB0MPYxyZaSjd7p2FheqpaTFLcy8rqOBMXxf7Ck_yfmL_UmDDk946g7Qk1iwtC9KYZ3lPFEKIDgOTtGdy4MPh8K_6_uXog/s1600/photo%255B2%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwHdodjM5zIeA68zni62X2h1-OPHpVq8vFhebSafhdB0MPYxyZaSjd7p2FheqpaTFLcy8rqOBMXxf7Ck_yfmL_UmDDk946g7Qk1iwtC9KYZ3lPFEKIDgOTtGdy4MPh8K_6_uXog/s400/photo%255B2%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621000507284470434" /></a><br /><br />The next two shot show the "behind the scenes food" - the stuff that our props department has on standby to replenish the plates on the actors' table after each take. As you can see, it takes a lot of food to shoot one dinner scene (and this isn't all of it - just a sampling).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_PHp5yRPrn9_9w0AclKC_7XTltRVLKiccHBfk7IpQpfViqVv1mURvrsFJat26NMwZ8dYeqIWcA71Vb-KVa0nQzww9q0v-LarhmrjZjHZk_PuI5yqXwiVXjUpSr_n0UthWtvEaQ/s1600/photo%255B3%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_PHp5yRPrn9_9w0AclKC_7XTltRVLKiccHBfk7IpQpfViqVv1mURvrsFJat26NMwZ8dYeqIWcA71Vb-KVa0nQzww9q0v-LarhmrjZjHZk_PuI5yqXwiVXjUpSr_n0UthWtvEaQ/s400/photo%255B3%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621001093545560370" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewBbUiADrNGcBIAGIF4i7aShxalXNVS4TaYOHgU3C7TMQ0m9xXLJ5pPrbxqNnmz2tTLkfMxnMDPJwolZuamJv8HJtGZI-hXgLihtxYKV5p5zE9GWT437_omUiotsr68f9WDJ_Ng/s1600/photo%255B4%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewBbUiADrNGcBIAGIF4i7aShxalXNVS4TaYOHgU3C7TMQ0m9xXLJ5pPrbxqNnmz2tTLkfMxnMDPJwolZuamJv8HJtGZI-hXgLihtxYKV5p5zE9GWT437_omUiotsr68f9WDJ_Ng/s400/photo%255B4%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621001344401576098" /></a><br /><br />And finally - you get a look at something very few people get to see. This next shot shows you what producers look like when they "work." Look at how they lounge with such intensity.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTum5KwuJCDbh1a_sSZ2eqpmypIjZ5qS7q53CrTg9bj9JPns-mPYl1GKPIyi3gouLnarJtHLiF6eoywOcr5W8j3dprUaFwxn8keCPb23dgwK-3phFwelThOLTwfVYBZhftbh6Kg/s1600/photo%255B5%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTum5KwuJCDbh1a_sSZ2eqpmypIjZ5qS7q53CrTg9bj9JPns-mPYl1GKPIyi3gouLnarJtHLiF6eoywOcr5W8j3dprUaFwxn8keCPb23dgwK-3phFwelThOLTwfVYBZhftbh6Kg/s400/photo%255B5%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621001656230643538" /></a><br /><br />I am kidding, of course. Brian Elliott (left, Producer) and Lauren Woodruff (right, Asst Producer) are the reasons that we are getting this done in spite of the bizarre and challenging occurrences. They are there to smooth things over when police drive up and challenge the fact that we have closed the street (with permission from the city, though the police say they should have been told, even though we were never instructed by the city to do so), or to call the restaurant contact when the power goes out at 3am, or whatever is needed at any time. I am so thankful for their hard work and commitment. Nothing ruffles them, and that is more valuable than you can imagine when chaos is all around you.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-34813696020199279952011-06-21T03:28:00.000-07:002011-06-21T04:06:01.170-07:00Shooting An Affair: Day Eleven (vacant lot = rocky terrain)I'll be honest: it's 5:30am, I'm tired, and I realize the post title is lacking in wit. But I'm just too tired to think of anything else.<br /><br />We started shooting at around 6:30pm in a vacant lot where we had set up a swing set. This swing set was supposed to be on the property of the motel where we had previously shot. You might recall from previous blog posts that the motel decided they didn't want to honor their contract and allow us to finish shooting there. So we had to move this beast of a swing set out to Marlin, then move it back to West (where the studio is - because it's the only place we have to store it). Then it had to be brought back to Waco today and set up for the shoot. Did I mention that we were going to give it to the motel after the shoot was done. We bought it and were just going to let them have it. Yeah, that's not going to happen now. And it wasn't easy to make this look like it was taking place just at the edge of the motel parking lot, but DP Taylor Rudd did a really terrific job with that.<br /><br />Anyway, we got two shots done before the sun went behind some buildings. That was what we needed to get, and we managed, but we were fighting the heavy winds the whole time. Not only does the wind make the actors look funny (hair and clothes blowing everywhere), but it really impacts the sound. Microphones with wind blowing into them don't yield good sound. A good sound person knows some tricks to counteract this, but they only work so well. <br /><br />So as we waited on the sun to set for our night scene, we circled the taller vehicles of our crew members around the swing set to kill some of the wind. And that helped. <br /><br />I could tell at the start of the night that people were just moving slow. Fatigue has really set in, and I include myself. I was moving at half speed, frustrated with the compromises and difficulties of this scene (which had moved location three times), and just not feeling well, to be honest. And I could see that others were having the same problem. A few people left early because they were feeling nauseated or unwell.<br /><br />So once we started shooting the night scene, I was pleasantly surprised when it started going well. The shots looked nice, the scene played well, and we got our coverage rather quickly. I thought (knock on wood) that we would surely be done earlier than our planned 5:30am wrap.<br /><br />Sigh - it was not to be. Our final shots were on the Steadicam, and between our inexperience with it and the heavily uneven terrain in the vacant lot, this became a really difficult shot to get. We reached take 20 on the main two-shot before we felt confident that we had a few solid options from which to choose. I had planned on doing some coverage in the form of close ups of each of the main actors in the conversation, but we simply couldn't achieve a desirable level of focus at the closeness I wanted. You need a certain amount of light to focus. We were working in low light conditions. We had more lighting instruments, but we were out of power options. We were so far from our power sources that we had run out of "stingers" (extension cords). So we didn't have enough light to maintain sharp focus on the close ups. So we just had to decide to live with the single shot coverage - which means the scene really can't be edited at all. That's frustrating, but it was all we could do.<br /><br />At the end of the night, in addition to packing up all equipment, we had to take apart that darn swing set. I didn't want anyone to decide to play on it and get hurt. So while the crew was putting up lights, camera, and sound equipment, I hopped on top of the swing set with a wrench and started pulling out bolts from the crossbeam. That's harder than it sound at 5am in the dark. I just wanted that darn thing apart, and if I'd had an axe, I might have used that.<br /><br />Got all the bolts out, then started in on the many screws holding it together as well. Power drill/screwdriver died, so me and several grips started working the remaining screws manually. Producer Brian Elliott jumped in as well. It was a team effort. We finally got it all apart and laid all the pieces down. No one on the crew has a truck large enough to haul it, so the engineer from my office (who has a trailer) has been helping us move it. Now we just have to determine what to do with the thing. If anyone wants a swing set for free, it's still in the vacant lot on 6th street. I have all the hardware.<br /><br />With that done, I was more ready to go home than any other day or night on this shoot. Tomorrow night, we at least will be indoors. If you're going to spend the whole night out shooting a movie, it's at least better to be in a nice restaurant with air conditioning and bathrooms (did I mention we had to drive several miles to find a bathroom when shooting at the vacant lot? It being a vacant lot and all, we didn't have much access to bathroom facilities).<br /><br />I didn't take any pictures because, well, I forgot to and I was tired. Or I forgot <span style="font-style:italic;">because</span> I was tired. Five more shooting days.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Edited to add:</span> I completely forgot that at about take 9 of the 20-take marathon Steadicam shot, some student crew members who were stationed at a corner to make sure our traffic barriers were obeyed came back to the set to report that they were completely freaked out by a homeless guy who came by their station and talked to them at length about killing a congressman who he claimed to have killed his wife. So - I don't have a whole lot in the way of details on that, but I owe it to those kids to include it. And, of course, as soon as it had been reported, the first words out of someone's mouth was, "Hey Chris, there's soemthing to blog about tonight!"Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-31114121525607008092011-06-20T12:37:00.000-07:002011-06-20T12:49:09.722-07:00Shooting An Affair: Behind the Scenes prepWe don't starting today until later (it's going to be another all-nighter, since it's an exterior night scene). But there's a lot of prep going on regardless.<br /><br />We're closing some streets tonight - so that means we need to pick up the barriers from the city this afternoon before we set up.<br /><br />We are using a swing set today, so someone had to go pick up the set where we were storing it and set it up on the property at which we're shooting.<br /><br />We are 'borrowing' power (with permission) from a local merchant. He is allowing us to run some extension cords from his business so that we can use the power after hours. That means our Gaffer has to head over there this afternoon to run all the power cords. It also means that if we blow a breaker, we can't reset it. So our electrical planning has to be very precise.<br /><br />Did I mention that the wind was blowing so hard that my hat blew off my head several times? I'm hoping the wind will die down before this evening.<br /><br />Also, our prop/art direction folks are working on tomorrow night's shoot, which takes place at a tapas restaurant. I wrote the scene, but I've had tapas only once or twice in my life (and I let someone else order when I did). Translation: I know nothing about tapas except for what I looked up online. So my art director is having to prep the tapas for the scene tomorrow night.<br /><br />A long day before a long night. As you can see, it requires a lot of coordination and a lot of people to pull this off.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612550.post-3079214302658954712011-06-17T21:52:00.000-07:002011-06-17T22:08:04.378-07:00Shooting An Affair: Day Ten (I want these snakes outta my studio!)Today's shoot was a more difficult and emotional scene. There was also some awkward moments to shoot, so we were working with a skeleton crew, just to make the actors more comfortable.<br /><br />I find directing scenes like today's challenging - but I'll save that discussion for a later day because I really don't want to talk about some of the film's details yet.<br /><br />The biggest event today was the arrival of a new mascot - a chicken snake slithered into the studio as we were loading equipment into the van. We actually didn't know what kind of snake it was then. So we called the studio owner, Ben Ranzinger, who was nearby with a friend who he considers his snake wrangler. So Ben and Paul came over and started moving stuff from where the snake had slithered. Soon enough, they found him, and Paul "wrangled" him quickly. Here he is - name suggestions?:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFfnWnUCZcIJq3qVQIUmeqyy7NKEcgeQE8doZx63k0i5krKLkP7oVL_BNq4CzGF5G7hRZTabxUbKWsGNdJGKFuW4A1Wq2qE-lUE0rbFupJWm1E6KnrIvVjsYuDwQKJd3PIZxDIQ/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFfnWnUCZcIJq3qVQIUmeqyy7NKEcgeQE8doZx63k0i5krKLkP7oVL_BNq4CzGF5G7hRZTabxUbKWsGNdJGKFuW4A1Wq2qE-lUE0rbFupJWm1E6KnrIvVjsYuDwQKJd3PIZxDIQ/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619419814578880354" /></a><br /><br />Some more photos...<br /><br />My hat atop the wave form monitor and my monitor at "Director's Camp":<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6pkzIxQ19iawNUXBa-zZLJ_fClqz7U3l_FjU1Owkl2HGnAvaO-awINgmuMECNlB7zpiO_PTh08H6E8NjvzmJw8FikRay-Tm9j44s7dI7LQGBRD5PY_6cqoH6CgxyTiRt2FTUJ1g/s1600/photo%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6pkzIxQ19iawNUXBa-zZLJ_fClqz7U3l_FjU1Owkl2HGnAvaO-awINgmuMECNlB7zpiO_PTh08H6E8NjvzmJw8FikRay-Tm9j44s7dI7LQGBRD5PY_6cqoH6CgxyTiRt2FTUJ1g/s400/photo%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619420097634500978" /></a><br /><br />Lead actor Matt Brumlow posing for my phone's contact picture. He wanted it to be iconic:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8LuqiGHP4s5wWXG3B6N6FDTBaPgL2nOuhw1bL1py_HPhEp6_hcDRIJY49gBrLiNxl_rjIOf9xyn4jDnJoGyHn8Jc6rGhAb9Uj9JE8t6tFjN7Ks90DuW0OxVHlGyh_3BwYC3ghw/s1600/photo%255B2%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8LuqiGHP4s5wWXG3B6N6FDTBaPgL2nOuhw1bL1py_HPhEp6_hcDRIJY49gBrLiNxl_rjIOf9xyn4jDnJoGyHn8Jc6rGhAb9Uj9JE8t6tFjN7Ks90DuW0OxVHlGyh_3BwYC3ghw/s400/photo%255B2%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619420518482147842" /></a><br /><br />The slate from a shot from today:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEoEo1eDKLxsDsL96NRuRQnWXeG3pgo34IdkokPuw9BN8ad_fYMgH_GE3Lxm4yGMhiMwjFY6FGABXjteXBV_xR_M8cZZv4JemQ6ewYgj28qSFdABeyPz6xIJgZZzM5o7nFTgATA/s1600/photo%255B3%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEoEo1eDKLxsDsL96NRuRQnWXeG3pgo34IdkokPuw9BN8ad_fYMgH_GE3Lxm4yGMhiMwjFY6FGABXjteXBV_xR_M8cZZv4JemQ6ewYgj28qSFdABeyPz6xIJgZZzM5o7nFTgATA/s400/photo%255B3%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619420783509877394" /></a><br /><br />DP Taylor Rudd setting up to shoot a slow dolly shot, with Dolly Grip Rob Norman to his left and 1st AC Keith Lindley to his right:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlJ1BE0LN1BqINIkvgiXt_QKZuimyGZh3M0LjPZYG6wXg-p8EWxTXtZEMWEa4Zg-O6ZoB6gGXQvKJHUdhDJ7w6puUwdj9SwRwJ7alI223UCopWCvEJ2WxQXx5h455f9tQlSoKSQ/s1600/photo%255B4%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlJ1BE0LN1BqINIkvgiXt_QKZuimyGZh3M0LjPZYG6wXg-p8EWxTXtZEMWEa4Zg-O6ZoB6gGXQvKJHUdhDJ7w6puUwdj9SwRwJ7alI223UCopWCvEJ2WxQXx5h455f9tQlSoKSQ/s400/photo%255B4%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619421195584908114" /></a><br /><br />Lead actress Cora Vander Broek in a shot (taken from the monitor at Director's Camp):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAyopePSeCDpI082mL083205J_1IOdzLxnyJ72i_iYGiJIzhLv9bsQhSE0jJ0MfQlOiMAoQBhoK3W6zwGwdn-rN42NNynUxIVr7xegu2buVz3pXoNzY1FQkYkVp5PjeOD7SfrJg/s1600/photo%255B5%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAyopePSeCDpI082mL083205J_1IOdzLxnyJ72i_iYGiJIzhLv9bsQhSE0jJ0MfQlOiMAoQBhoK3W6zwGwdn-rN42NNynUxIVr7xegu2buVz3pXoNzY1FQkYkVp5PjeOD7SfrJg/s400/photo%255B5%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619421475417628242" /></a><br /><br />A lighter moment - Cora trying to pose for a contact photo picture that would equal Matt's rather impressive one:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xnerWJnIjtr5197fgVwLAsrTf0WatvDP3VzKRK7afGM2HPKfycffXdUIq4UJR4KfJFXtP0-qZ5RoUS_-VI5STqjEVc2f7EVnwPkHzH_lUq7VoDVo6077psOhyOXIwsYw-27XQw/s1600/photo%255B6%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xnerWJnIjtr5197fgVwLAsrTf0WatvDP3VzKRK7afGM2HPKfycffXdUIq4UJR4KfJFXtP0-qZ5RoUS_-VI5STqjEVc2f7EVnwPkHzH_lUq7VoDVo6077psOhyOXIwsYw-27XQw/s400/photo%255B6%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619421829203218978" /></a><br /><br />Not happy with that one, we tried another pose:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6VZRSVOxw2h8pNPIjjiTUzCMA-SumxlZn2gDeGsSLqXJ-B1kWsoghG3sRF1MCva7JfDoLMNX9_XU_bwBzY-uCzhbSC_pYa_m0RbFEqz4Fh369SvANiNr7n003TeSvb0BfvzIBg/s1600/photo%255B7%255D.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6VZRSVOxw2h8pNPIjjiTUzCMA-SumxlZn2gDeGsSLqXJ-B1kWsoghG3sRF1MCva7JfDoLMNX9_XU_bwBzY-uCzhbSC_pYa_m0RbFEqz4Fh369SvANiNr7n003TeSvb0BfvzIBg/s400/photo%255B7%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619422016450489314" /></a><br /><br />We have the weekend off, then we pick up with a few grueling days Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week.Chris Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00959043583830345822noreply@blogger.com0