shootstuffguy

My Sophmore year at UCLA, I actually outlined using, the Annotated Wonderful Wizard of Oz an epic remake of the family classic. Mine actually followed the book much closer incorporating the political undertones and also came with The Quadlings, The Queen of the Field Mice, the Special Glasses that had to be worn in the City of Emeralds and had the Lion becoming the King of Beasts. These were just a few of the small elements of Baum's masterpiece left out of the original 1939 Musical.  Sure the film was a bit more "adultish" but would be a musical and would still be an easy PG film.

With a pitch like this, (back then of course,) you have to have some clout just to get a meeting with a middle man that would listen to you before going to the big men who would then go to the bigger men who would then go to Oz the Great to do some more deciding, before they would give you 10 reasons why you would be "mad" to remake OZ in anyway shape or form. With that said I put the Composition Book away figuring I had 10 years before I could ever get that meeting and another 100 before they would ever let ME or anyone else remake OZ.

On the last page of my scribbled outline and sketches there was a list of other kid films I would  give, (or would have given,) my loins to remake. On this list were some of the familiar titles:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Tales of Petter Rabbit
Treasure Island
Peter Pan
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Now years later, I can only be angry (and pleased because of who it is) that, Tim Burton  has had the privilege of remaking Wonka and Sleepy Hollow and is in production on Alice in Wonderland now. Peter Pan, I believe with the assortment of various Pan stuff including that bomb of a film, (that I loved regardless,) Hook, Neverland will be Neveragain. If I don't get moving getting "clout" soon, somebody or Burton is going to get to do my Wonderful Wizard of Oz film.

From what I've seen, I'm unsure of the look for Tim Burton's Alice... I mean he's been spot on for all his films in the past but I've always seen Alice as very primary color, deep space and most importantly lots of visuals. The original book actually is a bit darker and a little more should I say realistic. I've only seen a few pictures so far so I may be completely wrong. Alice is to be released on my daughter's birthday in 2010. I have until that date to lock in my Oz remake or I'm sure with his and I's track record, he'll have it locked down.





Tim Burton News & Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter


www.timburtoncollective.com/tb…

So the weekend found change. Lots and all for the good. It was as if the low budget filmmaking angel came down from the heavens and said, "ah shit Garrick, we'll let you have this one." A camper and generator were found free of charge. Ryan booked a flight, (arrives Thursday night.)

We ended up reacquiring our first lead of choice for Dana out of default and the small things and elements needed have been put on a tight schedule to be taken care of through out the next two weeks. The only thing we did lose and lose big on is our Make Up artist. As horribly sad as it is, (I was looking so forward to working with her,) I almost am relieved because I feel this shoot will be a fast and furious kind of workflow and Megan likes to be very methodical and precise about every little thing. This may have clashed, it may not have. I will never know because we had to trade her pay for a plane ticket and van. We'll look down the road to begin a working relationship with Megan on the next, not so low budget, outing if I can't figure out a way to keep her. As far as me, my mind is clearing and the stress is lifting. As I step into the abyss in front of me, I am with every day growing stronger and more anxious to shoot this film.

Here is what I did all weekend. Porno Mags and Cigarettes.... It relieves me. These are props

www.roadhousepictures.com/imag…

And with a day of minor adjustments and additions to add to my dummy mags and newspapers the Massive Undertaking of finishing enough 'Non Licensed' periodicals to fill my 6ft by 13ft Newspaper stand has come to an end. I'm somewhat excited because I realize when the film is over and the smoke has cleared, because I have made countless references to friends, characters and inside jokes on all these papers, there will be a lot of keepsake material I can give away or who knows, if the film does well, sell on ebay. WINK, WINK. I've story boarded every frame, drawn every concept sketch, character drawing, rendered all my promotional material yada, yada for all my films and I can truly say of all the things, (creative that I've done,) I am most proud of this accomplishment. I can already feel this film will be the best I've done as well. Although ten minutes in length it is the ballsiest and biggest production I've taken on next to Jobbers, (if not more complex,) than Jobbers. I am looking more forward to September with every passing moment.

Of course of all the work, exhaustion and creativity put into these covers, the best "dummy" cover comes from Phil, who is playing Henry. Check out his Variety style Spoof. It's full of inside jokes and damn near looks exactly like the format Variety delivers daily.

You can see most of the mags right here on my Profile. If you want to read more in debt on the making of my film go to this:

www.shootstuffguy.blogspot.com

....And we're back. After several meetings with the city and other people around town to lock down locations I can finally say "GAME'S BACK ON." I met with city officials last week and then secured the Quality Inn in Hickory for my apartment complex sequence, (don't worry, I know what you are thinking and I got it covered.)

www.roadhousepictures.com/imag…

See the downtown schematic for shooting here

I also acquired the Catawba Science Center as an added treat. What happened was... I was getting a little worried about the Apartment Complex so I started looking at alternate spots when I found the Catawba Valley Science
center. It had an elevator and almost everything else we needed and just had so much character. The powers that be said "no problem" to using it, then the day after they signed off, the Quality Inn was OK'd. I think I'm going to switch the classroom scene from Lenoir Rhyne to the Science Center if the schedule allows it. It would be a nice set piece.

With the location burden behind me, I move on ever so slowly. There is a looming threat of pushing this movie back until September unfortunately. Losing nearly two months on location scrambles did not help. Then I went and screwed myself royally by taking on 3 weddings back to back to put some money in the "Jeopardy budget" only to not take in account that when River, my new baby boy, showed himself to the world, it would inadvertently deduct my already dwindling "free time allowance" even more. To be honest, it would not hurt my feelings in the least bit if I had to move the shoot back a month or two. I mean we have the actual money to shoot the film so when we shoot it is completely irrelevant at this point in time, although I would love to move on sooner or later. I want to be ready for this and there is so much more to do and with the end of my wedding videography days in clear sight ahead of me, I almost wonder if it is not the best idea right now. It would take some pressure off me and at least get me back to where I AM JUST THINKING ABOUT THE MOVIE and working creatively, not frantically.

I worked on wedding 1 of 3 last night and am only half way through and that was working on it 7 hours straight.(The only reason I was able to put that time into it is because Mandi and the kids are at the beach.) Added to the already 8 hour block I had on it from earlier in the week, makes 15 hours so far. With that rough calculation, I'm looking at 40 hours a wedding which is three weeks doing it straight, (which won't happen,) so I'm looking at say, 5 weeks just to get those off my plate which puts me in mid June if I'm lucky, leaving only a month to prepare all the loose ends of Jeopardy's film. May not be the best idea...

I started contacting crew members from my crew call I put on Craigslist two to three months ago and they had forgotten what the call was for, (if that tells you how under water I am.) A really nice guy by the name of Shane,contacted me, eager to help out on this project and has been in constant correspondence to help and at this point in time, I don't even know where to begin delegating work out and because I just got my hands around the location situation, I have not even been able to finalize and budget to see if I can even pay anybody....

...Am I rambling? It's been a long night. From the redundant cross
dissolves of a wedding video ceremony to the formula leaking down my shirt to chasing Payton around with a toothbrush, I'm so far away from Henry, Dana and Leather Strap Strangler, I almost forgot there was still work to
do.

We're back and pre-production rolls on.... We'll just have to play it by ear on when this labor of love will go into production. If it is for the better of the film, August and September are OK with me and TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THIS. This film will be shot and in the can by Halloween at the latest.I’ll take no Bullshitting for 200, Alex.

Click on the picture below to see the full set of storyboards for the film.

www.roadhousepictures.com/imag…

I feel storyboards are a key element in the filmmaking process. It for me has always been better to show than explain. I do Storyboards religiously. For Meter, I storyboarded the whole film, and never looked at one of them during principle photography. The shoot got rushed and I just simply did not have the luxury to take alot of time to refer to my notebook of sketches. But just actually sitting down and doing them made myself visualize my film more carefully. Even having to rush through shooting on Meter, I still had ALMOST every shot in my head. Half of the reason the shots were captured on film they way I envisioned them... Those Storyboards.

Jeopardy's Storyboards are a little different. With this film, I will use them on set religiously. The reason I am so adamant about this is because this film's story will be told through pacing, angles, shots and reaction unlike Meter that was based completely around dialogue. There is no room for error in missing key shots.... Also, my camera man and camera will only be here 4 days. There will be NO reshoots.

OK, besides this little bit of information, my storyboards had other purposes as well, this time around.

1. Business Package- I am taking extra care and time for the Jeopardy storyboards, because my finished cells will be used both in the printed business proposal and I also plan to make a Powerpoint/Slideshow from each cell that I will add music and narration to. It will be included in the Budget Proposal Package and will basically be a Picture Book/Graphic Novel telling of the story to help potential investors visualize my film.

2. My Technique- For some odd reason for as long as I have drawn, I have always had so much trouble with 'Perspective.' Unfortunately, everything I like to draw needs 'Perspective.' I thought this to be a perfect opportunity to force me to learn it because as much time as I have already spent on them, heaven forbid, me go back and draw some of them all the way over because my angles are wrong.