Let's see; my main computer has taken a turn for the worse, so editing may be hard unless I can sort out firewire for the other computer. That and I've spent too much time trying to sort it out.

I still haven't finished the script - that might be the first goal, then worry about shooting. Maybe I have too many ideas - it's only 3 minutes after all. Still need to finish off our bonfire before fire restrictions come in too (everything is still green anyway), which will also take time - maybe I can incorporate fire into the short, but that will leave little editing time. Just so you know, this is no campfire - the flames will be 15m or more if we build it up enough.

All major ideas brainstormed...............ever had something crawl out of your ass and then force it into your brain?

I just traded some days, leaving me the 6th - 11th to do this. I work 12 hour shifts... 4 days on, 4 days off ;).

20 extras, 1 main actor, 1 house (which I am flooding), lots of x-mas decorations, lots of wine. Oh man. You guys are in for it.

Done
 

Well, got a very good idea the first day and Saturday we were already shooting. By not having dialogue (only background narration) made things go pretty fast.

Probably many of us here have the fear that the way we're telling the story, won't be understood by others, well, that's the beauty of it, we have to make it work.

I am done but I can say that I did not had a resting week-end, but it was certainly lots of fun into it. Now I'm sitting on it for a few days before submission.

An exercise that helped me out (thanks Lee) was this:

1) Read the definition carefully. Ponder each possible way to interpret the word "spirit." If you can, look up some history of the word... with just this exercise, it got asking myself questions on the word that I would have never thought of without a deeper understanding. Also, little history, spirits (distilled alcohol) used to be used for medical purposes during medieval times (i.e The Black Plague)... interesting.

2) Play the "what if" game on possible scenarios? This helps think of any immediate ideas you might want to build off of... they usually turn out to be the most original. Questions seem to bring out the most honest desires of what you would like to do with something you don't know anything about.

3) Free association... write down every word that comes into your head from your newly educated view of "spirit." Then, cross out all the synonyms. Some words I thought of was: Wine, Self, Wandering, etc.

4) Then, cluster words in your list that are similar. Example: Wandering, Lost, Restless.

5) With each cluster of words, try to think of images that match up with the clusters.

In my case, every image I created from these clusters subconciously seemed to be similar. It wasn't hard to mix & match, fill in the gaps and I had a short. I then rounded out the edges to make things go full circle with more thought on backstory and forestory. No dialougue, as I thought the imagery was very powerful here and said more than words could say.

Interesting posts. I have an end to my short and I am very happy. :)

Still working on props. Got a last minute idea about 2am and needed small parts to build a blood capsul squirting device. Don't worry, it isn't that bad. A guy gets a bit spooked while shaving... Modern razors are no fun. What happened to good old straight razors anyway?

For the record, the blood in the gel capsuls I bought, tastes pretty bad. Hey, I had to taste it. Come on, you would too.

Shooting a bathroom scene with flashbacks and a police crime scene in the next day or so. That's all that I have left. I few special effects and clean up the sound track.

Should be good to go by Thursday evening.

Sean

I've got a fun idea but I haven't had time to start yet. I've pretty much just got Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to write, shoot and edit the whole thing. Hopefully Tyler and I can pull it off.

I'm praying for a last minute wonder.

I'm trying to sell shooting something with my wife and daughter as a sort of holiday greetings card for our relatives all over the world. But I'm stuck working on an intensive production which is occupying all of my time - like all of it.

Maybe I could edit the footage I shot for the DVC4 which I didn't manage to put together last time... Lets see, how can I get a scene of my daughter selling a piece of junk camera for 12,0234,0567 € into the theme of spirit?

I haven't given up yet - but I may have to go the art school way as well in the end.

Doesn't look like mine is going to happen. We were set to shoot tonight, but short notice, sickenss and bad weather have pretty much done us in.
I might put something together over the weekend by myself, but I dunno.

I have some big problems with mine to. What I have so far is total crap. I am gonna fire the writer... oh.. wait... that's me.. well... anyway... my original idea and that I thought were so great isn't so great. But luckily I have a christmassy spirits idea that I might be able to fix together in an evening. So either tomorrow night or sunday night... damn... I remember my first DV-challenge (DVC#2), I had recorded all my material on the friday! I hope that Santa don't think lazy and being bad is the same thing... 'cause then I am in trouble...

Fredrik, I swear I was going to write many of those exact words! LOL!

It was so exciting early on--the illustrious Brad Marlow was all set to drive down here and we were going to shoot the movie together. But then he had to stay home. Darn. Turns out it's just as well, because, like Fredrik, what I had envisioned isn't happening story-wise. Maybe that's why Brad really stayed home.... ;)

Now I'm having to wait to shoot an outdoor scene because a stiff wind is making it about 8 degrees Fahrenheit out there. I'm not dedicated enough to brave that. :)

According to the weather thingy on my PDA, last night was 9F here. I have to go out tonight and set up a simulated accident scene. First I need a street out in the country far enough I don't disturb the traffic (guerllia shooting ya know). Before that I have to learn to draw the chalk outline of a Reindeer...

Got the red strobe light, police tape, car, camera, tape...Ready to go.

Everything else is about as good as it's going to get. I see one issue but I'm ignorring it. Just like all the rules of lighting...

Sean

Unfortunately I will not have time to complete it. Wa out of town on a shoot Mon and Tus and have to prepare physically and mentally for grandkids coming this weekend as well as two sons playing youth basket ball this weekend.

On a lonely forgotten sliver of asphalt somewhere in Montgomery county, between Darbyville and Kileville, Ohio there is a chalk outline of a reindeer. I found a nearly deserted stretch of country road and went for it. I only needed less than a minute or two of footage total but the real adventure was driving around in unfamiliar rural areas looking for deserted roadways. I could hear the 2 banjos in the back of my head with every pickup truck I saw.

I actually did see a large red fox so that was neat. Haven't seen one in a long long time.

All shot, mostly color corrected and test rendered out. Probably have it posted for Dylan tomorrow evening. I suppose it's just me but these things always look like $1,000,000 bucks - in my head.

Hope you all enjoy it. It's another odd twist on things but something I have never seen done really. That's the fun part for me. Figuring out the different way to look at things.

Sean McHenry

I've had no time to make a vid this time around... boooo. I guess I'll have to wait till next time.