Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Looking On

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For the first week of production, we had very few onlookers. The first few days were on a relatively busy street in the South Lake Morton district, but the scenes were indoors. A few cars slowed down, and we had more reporters than residents stopping to take a look.

That changed Monday. The production moved to a trio of homes near Lake Morton, and almost every scene was outdoors. Many of the Lakeland residents who follow this production blog and our Twitter updates figured out we were in the area and came by for a look.

pole_endureSome seemed very interested in the production and some in the cast, but all were respectful to the cast and crew, and quiet during filming.

There were a couple of folks who didn't seem to be movie fans. One driver ignored road blocks and crew members to drive past the set. And one local resident wasn't about to let a film interrupt her daily walk. But they were far less an interruption than the bird who couldn't interrupt his love song for our crime thriller.

The Boom Mike operator tried to shoo him away, but he just jumped up one wire. Sound wasn't too perturbed. It's hard to blame a bird for whistling in Spring.

Photos by Chuck Welch

Update: Edited to remove errant sentence.

Lighting Fix

If you read the description of the first day, then the first week was

Day 2: ditto
Day 3: again
Day 4: more of the same
Day 5: Yet again

A commenter suggested we're not publishing cast photos because the Bale incident. I've seen nothing like that on this film. That isn't to say everything is perfectly smooth.

Sometimes planes fly overhead. Sometimes the camera doesn't reboot correctly and the sunlight never waits. Sometimes a light is too big...

The other morning, the lighting crew set up in a very small room that served as an important location for the film. It needed to be small, comfortable, and realistic. The room was perfect for all that, except one corner was too dark.

So the crew added a light that created the perfect mood for the scene. Everyone stood ready as the cameraman took the camera through the scene and found he could see the light in the shot.

All stood back while the lightening crew rushed to raise the light to the ceiling. Unfortunately, the next run through found the light still intruded on the frame.

Of course, it was an important shot that needed to be made now. The cast was ready. The director was ready. All were sympathetic, but no one could help the lighting crew solve the problem.

The crew found a smaller, more powerful light. Then they had to hand-fashion a filter to make the light fit the scene.

During the many minutes it took to fix the lighting problem it could have been easy for people to express frustration. No one wants to fall behind schedule. The cast gets geared up to act now, and doesn't like to wait. The crew was dancing well, but it felt like someone had thrown glue on the floor.

You could see crew and cast find what they could do to cope. Some worked ahead where possible. Others found a spot and relaxed. Some just stood ready to help.

Did no one feel anger, irritation, or exasperation? I can't tell you that, but all seemed to realize that expressing those emotions wasn't going to help speed the lighting fix.

I'm sure that was a testament to the experience and professionalism of all those involved.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Where are the behind-the-scenes photos of the cast?

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According to Executive Producer Jim Carleton, the reason we haven't published any photos of the cast is contractual.

When your brand and your livelihood is your "look," you want to make sure you're always at your best for a photo. With actors concentrating on their parts, they don't have the opportunity to smile and pose for the silly behind-the-scenes photographer.

So the producers made a contractual agreement with the cast -- the photographer is given full access to the set to shoot freely. Any cast photo the producers might want to use for publicity, or DVD extras, is submitted to the cast member for approval.

Since the film is keeping much of the story and look of the actors under-wraps, the producers have decided not to publish any behind-the-scenes photos of the cast at this time.

That gives you a little hope, doesn't it?

Friday, April 24, 2009

Clare Kramer Brings it On to Endure

Yes, you recognize Clare Kramer from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. Her 13-episode arc as "Glory" is a fan favorite. As Buffy's primarily protagonist from Season 5, she was a villain fans loved to hate.

The Georgia-born actor is returning to the South to join the cast of Endure. The film's producers haven't released many details about the role, but the role opens the movie and drives the film's plot.

Writer-Director Joe O'Brien auditioned many actresses for the part, but couldn't find one who expressed all emotions needed until he cast Kramer.

For more information about Clare Kramer, see her filmography at IMDB.

Photo courtesy Clare Kramer

Tom Arnold Plays a Pivotal Role

Joining the cast of Endure is actor/comedian/sports commentator Tom Arnold. With four films in various stages of production, the always-busy actor comes to Endure after a recent guest-staring stint on E.R.

First recognized as a stand-up comedian, Arnold was a writer/actor for the Roseanne show. After the series ended, Arnold often guest-starred on comedies such as "Malcom in the Middle" and "Arli$$." He's also a mainstay on late-night talk shows trading jokes with Jay Leno, David Letterman, Craig Ferguson, and Jimmy Kimmel.

While Arnold's early work was primarily comedic, he has started accepting more dramatic roles in both television and film.

Endure producers haven't released details about Arnold's character, but expressed that the actor is playing a pivotal role in the film.

photo of Tom Arnold and Pierce Brosnan courtesy and CC by the1secondfilm.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Stories

After a couple of days, I've gotten better at the subtle language of the crew. A person standing still with a hand to his ear is listening to set communications. That's not a good time to start a conversation.

Someone standing off set with a cigarette? Also not a good time. A lighting chief listening to the director of photography explain that a light is visible in the shot? Yeah, not a good time.

You get the idea. It's best to walk quietly around the set and look for that crew member who appears attentive, but not distracted.

At that point, you get to hear about the fun and troubles of traveling from film set to set. How family members stay home back in Austin, Texas, or Los Angeles, to give the crew person the opportunity to practice his craft.

You can hear the humor and exhaustion of fixing the hair of hundreds of extras in a period film, or a sad and funny story about working on a film whose star decides they must quickly leave a South America location shoot -- after some on-set gun play.

Not that I can repeat those stories here. Sorry.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Stu Stone Stays Loose

After the bustle of the first day, the film is moving along at a less hectic, but steady, pace. It needs to be steady. With the call at 7am, the production doesn't end until early evening.

Not every discipline is busy every moment, but you won't find a minute where everyone is standing and waiting. There is always something that needs to be adjusted, replaced, or touched-up.

Tuesday, a scene was filmed in a tiny room barely able to hold a desk, three actors, and the two cameras. The director was forced to sit 20 feet away in another room. Watching the action on two monitors, he would judge a take, jump to his feet, and hurry into the room to discuss the scene before the next take.

He walks through a hallway so narrow that the crew stands like a bucket brigade ready to put out a fire. Representatives of each discipline stand ready to help if needed.

Inside the actors wait patiently in position as the cameras, sound, and directors reset. That particular scene starts with a closeup on actor Stu Stone. Before the slate clicks Stone winks and smiles at the camera. Mugging a bit for an appreciate audience of two: the director and the script supervisor.

During another set up, Stone takes a moment to tell a joke to Judd Nelson and Devon Sawa. Watching the soundless camera monitors, Sawa's sudden smile indicates Stone has reached the punchline.

Monday, April 20, 2009

First Morning: A Subjective View

This morning I wandered the set; watching the crew and the cast prepare, discuss, and prepare some more. All for a scene that takes maybe a minute of the film.

It couldn't sound more simple: cars pull in as people walk into and out of a building.

Of course, it's not simple to make sure each of those persons starts and stops at the right time, and in the right place. It's not simple making sure that every door, building and car is correctly labeled. It's not simple making sure no one has hair sticking out sideways or tans that stop right at the chin line. It's not simple making a sunny street when the sky is overcast. Or a dark room appears to have sunlight streaming in the window. Or making sure that a character is not wearing the same shirt and tie in scenes set two days apart. Or is wearing the same shirt when the scene calls for it.

It's just not simple to make a movie. There are at least a hundred crew and cast dancing around and through a building. There could be twenty in the hallway when the film can only show six. There are cables to be lifted quietly off the floor -- and not tangled --- as the camera is pulled backwards in front of actors walking forward, and stopping right there.

To enter the scene just so, actors walk around cameras, out of doors that aren't there, and speak their lines as they ignore the dozen crew peering at them from behind the camera's view. A crew that seconds before was moving, fixing, adjusting, installing, or removing. All with singular purpose; each knowing his or her duty, and ready when called upon.

It was like watching a ballet in a crowded hallway performed by 30 of your neighbors.

I'd catch the random crew member here or there with a minute or two of free time. I'd ask how was the filming compared to other first days. Each seem pleased that it was going so smoothly.

Early in the morning, I'd overheard one crew member say to another, "You're doing an excellent job." Then he introduced himself. They'd already been working together two hours at that point. They hadn't had time for introductions.

When standing in a doorway that the camera couldn't see, I watched a scene shot four times. Each time the director would adjust the movements of background extras, and the actors would change their lines slightly to emphasize a word or two. And the cameraman would reset to see one actor's face in just the right light. Each take looked like a movie scene.

Then I watched a little of what the camera filmed on the monitor. Now that looked like reality.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Devon Fans




The other day, I was able to release that Devon Sawa was part of the Endure cast. A few minutes after posting the news on Twitter (@enduremovie) I received tweets and text messages from some young women. They all informed me how much they loved Devon and had such a crush on him when they were teens.

Even my 22 year old daughter let me know she was a Devon fan.

So it came as no surprise when I received an email with the photo you see above. Local resident Amy Strohmaier was enjoying a nice dinner out when she spotted Devon. A few minutes later and Devon was kind enough to stand with her for this photo souvenir. I wasn't surprised to read that Amy once had a crush on Devon.

Based on what I've heard the last few days, I don't believe any of those crushes have completely faded.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Joey Lauren Adams Joins Endure

Playing a pivotal role in Endure is Actor/Director Joey Lauren Adams. Maybe best remembered for her distinctive voice, Adams has appeared in numerous popular and well-respected films. Fans of director Keven Smith will remember Adams as Alyssa Jones in Chasing Amy and Gwen in Mallrats.

At 19, Adams moved from her home state of Arkansas to San Diego to attend college. Then she decided to try Hollywood, “I went to L.A. thinking, ‘I’m going to explore.’ I thought I’d try acting; you never know.” **

Adams wrote and directed Come Early Morning. Drawing on her childhood in Arkansas, Adams filmed the movie on location in Little Rock. Asked how she was able to keep her passion during the five years it took to fund the film, Adams replied, "It turned into obsession, not passion."

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Devon Sawa added to Endure cast

Devon Sawa has joined the cast of Endure. The Canadian-born actor made a splash in SLC Punk! and Final Destination. Eminem fans will also remember Sawa as "Stan."

Extreme Dating's Mark Roberts on Sawa:
“One of the best things about Devon is how cool and relaxed he is in front of the camera which translates into a fun, watchable and likable character. He’s a real natural." - Fan site DevonSawa.org

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Finding a Hero

Last week Director Joe O'Brien sat down with Transportation Coordinators Marti Wells and Julio Palomino. They were looking for a hero.

Not an actor, they were deciding on a "hero car." The vehicle is important to the film; the interior layout at least as important as to the make and model. Joe had a model in mind, but Marti thought it would be difficult to find. They decided to let Marti find something compatible, with the understanding it had to have bucket seats.

Yes, bucket seats is a plot point.

In the script and storyboards O'Brien had crafted a scene which was possible only if the car had bucket seats. It's the kind of detail that a film crew must attend to. And it's why there are so many pre-production meetings. Telling the Transportation Coordinator to "bring a car" simply wouldn't do.

They moved through the script to identify all cars needed. They discussed the make, model, and color for each vehicle needed. Not just the cars in the foreground of a scene, but what should be parked in the background. They listed what cars may need to be painted to match. Which cars may need to appear damaged, or suffer damage.

They identified which car might need special effects to damage the windshield, and the need to have backups in place. And a person who can install said windows.

Planning ahead means the crew isn't standing around waiting for a window glazer to make it to the set. Shooting a film requires a lot of very detailed-oriented people.

Page Turns and Call Sheets

Each night the Production Secretary, Hope Marbut, sends out a "call sheet." The sheets lists every crew position title, crew member name, and the time he or she is expected to arrive. Today's sheet lists 77 crew members, and that doesn't include every position. Some crew are not expected, some are on call, but many are listed to arrive at 8 am today for the "page turn."

Just like it sounds, the crew will sit around a large table reading through the entire script. While they do read scene by scene, the dialogue isn't their focus. The crew is concerned with scene descriptions. Those few words setting the scene, and the director's vision, will help each department know exactly where, when, and how they're needed. Basically, they're making sure they are all on the same page.

Bad pun aside, this might be the place to link to a pair of film term glossaries: IMDB.com, and FilmSite.org

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Props Photos 04.09.09

Stunt Coordinator Meeting Photos

Production Office Photos 04.08.09

Tyler Billingsley Behind the Scenes

The Endure crew is a mix of those with years of big budget experience, those working on their first feature film, those who move for projects, and Lakelanders who have worked with previously with Joe, Jim, and Rob. One of the "locals" is Tyler Billingsley. In 2003 he stopped by NFocus, Jim, Joe, and Rob's company. With an interest in video production, Tyler had decided he needed on-the-job training. He'd found the firm in the phone book and came looking for an internship.

Though the guys at Nfocus weren't sure they needed an intern, Tyler had an ace in the hole. His step-mother had known Joe in high school. With her encouragement, NFocus decided to give Tyler a chance. His random phonebook search paid off as he found a work environment he truly enjoyed, “They work together really well.”

Now a teacher at Full Sail University, Tyler is shooting the “behind the scenes” video for the production. “It's my first big budget project. This is good experience for me,” he said.

While Tyler is shooting video for the movie, his expertise is in editing. He enjoys crafting a piece from the raw footage, but laughs how his hardest work may go unnoticed. He could spend hours making one minute of video look perfect, but the finished result looks so effortless that the client thinks it must have been easy work. “They're just not going to know what you put into it,” he said.

Though he loves the work, Tyler acknowledges that many would find it tedious, “This is something you have to like to do.”

*

Tyler uses Final Cut Pro HD to edit stills from his raw behind-the-scenes footage.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Wreck Location Scout

Photos From Locations Visits on 04.03.09



News Coverage

Almost from the start, the production has received coverage from the local newspaper, The Ledger. Today, the Ledger reporter and photographer will accompany some crew as they scout a location.

We'll post a link to the latest story as soon as it is published.

Below are links to the Ledger's previous articles:

March 09: Lakeland Filmmakers Snag Judd Nelson

Feb. 09: Local Filmmakers Bring 'Endure' Back to Polk County

Feb. 08: Lakeland Filmmakers 'Endure' to Get Funding for Film

Feb. 08: Video Interview

Jan. 08: Video Interview

Monday, April 6, 2009

Monday Production Meeting

The production offices have quickly become overcrowded. The building stays buzzing as people walk in, out, and through. There are quick introductions as crew members meet.

At 10:30, the first full Monday Production Meeting fills the conference room. The session gives crew from each discipline the opportunity to tell the rest what their week will bring. Questions are asked, requests are made, and needs are noted.

Afterwards, Producer Rob Tritton talks about the importance of such a meeting to start the week. How it helps the crew plan and know what to expect from their peers.

Even after the big meeting, there's a lot of commotion. Small offices hold meetings of two, three, or five, hallway discussions are quick and to the point, phone calls must be made in noisy open offices.

There's just not much time to relax. This week the crew needs to try out the cameras, send test film, break down shots, shoot photo boards, lock down locations, set up transportation, cast a stray character, and make numerous other decisions and duties.

Yet, Rob calls next week "Hell Week." Next week will be the last for pre-production. Shooting commences April 20th.

Friday, April 3, 2009

All Work and No Play

While many of the crew is already working 12 hour days in pre-production, they're aware of the need to grab some down time where possible. The schedule for Monday, April 6th ends with the start time for the NCAA final game.

Costume Design Meeting

Most merely call them clothes, but for Beverly Safier they're “costumes.” For over 30 years she's created the look for film and television actors. Yesterday, she met with Joe, Jim and Steve to start work on the look for each Endure actor.

As the writer/director for Endure, Joe O'Brien has long had an image in mind for each part. Before she met with Joe, Beverly read the script and wrote costume notes. Throughout the meeting Joe often remarked how Beverly's vision was close to his own.

(This blog wants to give you a peek behind the scenes, but not reveal too much of the film. So bear with us as we stay coy about character and actor names and descriptions. Still, it is interesting what goes into costume design.)

Before the meeting Beverly and her partner Armando met with a representative of the Lakeland police department. As law enforcement is seen in the film, Beverly wanted to see how current law enforcement dresses; even down to little details as to where detectives like to wear their badges.

Since many background and extra parts don't fill until the last minute, sometimes the costume must come before the actor. Able to borrow some extra uniforms from LPD, Beverly remarked, “We'll get people to fill those uniforms.”

The film is made in Central Florida, and Beverly first confirmed that it is also set there. “We are shooting this Florida for Florida?” She wanted to make sure all costumes match what is expected in the region.

Though the discussion moved through the film scene by scene, it wasn't just the matter of dressing a character for each scene. They would also consider the arc of each part. For example, Beverly felt one key character's clothes should start out light but go dark for a late scene.

Even the look of scenery dictated costume design; storyboards are consulted and Director of Photography Stephen Campbell would pull up location images and the crew would discuss what costumes would fit that room. Even wall and car seat colors could cause Beverly to change an actor's costume.

In a couple of cases, seeing the actor cast for a role gave her new ideas for that character's costume. Especially for those actors she remembers from previous films. She already knows what would work on that actor that would still fit the character. For one actor, Joe to remarked, “Her voice is as petite as she is.” Understanding how voice and body size also helped Beverly offer ideas for that actor's character. Another actor already cast for a role prompted a discussion about how the actor's body shape would affect costume decisions. It's the rare actor that can look “right” in every costume. The crew discussed how dressing against that actor's shape would fit the character. As Beverly said, “That's totally wrong. So it's perfect!”

The crew took much longer to work out a look for one pivotal character. Much care was made to how the character would have dressed even before the film opens. They considered how those clothes would look in various scenes, and as Joe said, “What does the audience expect?” Though he liked Beverly's ideas, Joe decided to ponder the character's look for a bit before committing.

It was interesting to note that Joe felt one character's normal clothes would be a costume to that character. In Joe's mind the character had reached a position in his career and now wears the clothes he feels others expect him to wear. “He dresses the part,” Joe said.

For some experienced actors, Beverly and Joe agree the actor would have some input on what might work. In those cases, the crew agree on a general look, but leave the final details until the actor comes to work.

It's even easier to dress the extras who must wear their own clothes. Beverly mentions they give them guidelines for what to wear to filming. “We ask them to bring three choices,” said Armando.

For one character, Joe thinks aloud that he sees the character as having an almost “hippy” look. Beverly said her notes say “Earth child.” It was obvious they had the same image in mind and it was just a matter of perfecting the details,

Ideas for other needs also came up during costume meeting. When Joe remarked that a particular actor could play piano as called for in the screenplay, that gave Stephen the idea that he could pan up from her fingers to her face. If she wasn't a pianist, they would have had to fake the playing or shoot someone else's fingers playing and cut to the actor's face.

The meeting concluded as each crew member took his or her notes and started work. After many meetings about money, Joe remarked that “It's nice to get to the creative interpretation of the script.”