We managed to get nearly every shot needed -- some things had to get cut, however. But that's just the way things go when time is ticking and you've got no budget.
We were on a 4 day schedule that went something like this:
Day 1) 9am-4pm. Set-up the room. Hang posters, arrange chairs, check light levels... sharpen pencils with the worst pencil sharpener in Ohio.
(of course I didn't sharpen them, I'm the director, my job is to delegate, not sharpen pencils)
Day 2 & 3) 10-4pm approx. Shooting, panicking, shooting some more.
Day 4) 10-3. Clean-up: put the room back as we found it, leave no evidence!
Our first actual shoot day went by like a breeze. We were even a little ahead of schedule.
That should've been a red flag.
Because once day 2 came, all bets were off!
Basically, we ran into all the same issues that any indie filmmaker does: No time, light changes, various things breaking or just going wrong, etc.
However, all this was made 5 times worse by the fact that we were only able to shoot 6 hours for both days.
Why... KIDS, that's why.
With such limited time (and of course, limited crew) I was forced to move as quickly as possible, only grabbing the most essential parts needed to tell the story.
So, in the end, I'm saddled with two extremes: shots that are absolute gems, and others that just don't work.
Naturally, I'm going to have to do the best with what I've got, and if it's one thing I've learned over the years of doing things by myself, it's how to "polish the poos." (-- insert image of super shiny bear of very little brain.)
Anyway, I'm working hard in post -- color correcting, compositing, all the usual.
But there's one new trick to add to my bag this time around: Split-Comping.
If you're not familiar with this concept, check out this link here.
I think it's going to be an incredibly useful, if not incredibly difficult, technique that I'll employ to try and fine-tune the performances of my child actors & extras.
I'll be moving forward with part 2 next month. Which means rehearsals, casting, a whole new location, and set decoration are all in the process as we speak.
So, it'll be another whirlwind week, and then a long, tedious time in After Effects for the rest of the month.
Later.
