It takes a lot of cuts to make up a feature. Here’s a pic of our timeline… kind of intense. Usually I would break up a feature into 8-10 separate timelines, and only put it all together to export, but I wanted to be able to jump around at will. Unfortunately, it’s becoming too much, so I just broke it into two. Hopefully that will do the trick. I like being able to scan through the whole shebang.

It’s been too long since our AOR update… but not to worry, the film is in great shape. We haven’t locked picture, but I’m halfway through cut 6! At this point, it’s a process of refinement. I can’t wait to dive into sound and color afterward. Living with a project this long is always a bit of a trial- sometimes it’s incredibly fun to cut and other times it’s torturous. Even though the story is all there(and has been for some time), the film still has a good amount of work to be done. I can’t wait to show it to you all… or y’all(for our texas friends) when we’ve got it locked, scrubbed, and beautified!

Fever Night aka Band of Satanic Outsiders coming out May 15, 2012.

Now available for pre order at Wal-Mart, Amazon and Best Buy. Not sure who else will be carrying it, but we’ll be updating. Oh, and check in the top-right corner of Wal-Mart’s page to see if it will be in stock at a store near you!

Purchase Fever Night aka Band of Satanic Outsiders (Wal-Mart)

Purchase Fever Night aka Band of Satanic Outsiders (Best Buy)

Purchase Fever Night aka Band of Satanic Outsiders (Amazon)

Fever Night aka Band of Satanic Outsiders Reviews:

1. 10,000 Bullets [Michael Den Boer]
2. 10KBullets.com [Michael Den Boer]
3. Bad Movie Realm [Derek Miller]
4. BadMovieRealm.com [Derek Miller]
5. CrankedOnCinema.com [Stan Hart]
6. CrankedOnCinema.com [Stan Hart]
7. Fatally-Yours [Jonathan Harriot]
8. Fatally-Yours [Staff]
9. Fatally-Yours.com [Fatally Yours]
10. Film Threat [Phil Hall]
11. Films Unknown Cult & Kool [Stan Hart, Jaime Lisk]
12. Horror News [Killion]
13. Lili’s Lair [Lili]
14. Midnight Media
15. Mondo-Digital.com [Mondo Digital]
16. Movies Made Me [Staff]
17. Quiet Earth
18. Quiet Earth [Cyrstal ferret]
19. San Francisco Weekly [Ian S. Port]
20. Scared Stiff [Geno McGahee]
21. TerrorHook.com [Rick L. Blalock]
22. The Movies Made Me Do It
23. WIdescreen Wallpaper [Staff]
24. Wildside Cinema [Jennifer Holderness]
25. cinefrikiterror [David Gore]
26. midnitemedia [Jonny Metro]

Below is a playlist full of music that I’ve been using as a temp track for the edit. Beware: some, all, or none of this music may make it into the final version of the film. Adding music to film is more work than it may seem, once we have a final cut and the music decisions are made we still have to go through the record labels and musicians to obtain the rights. But for now, there is still a world of indie music possibilities, so just sit back and tap your toes to some of the current picks!

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Happy Holidays!

- Jordan

From Kickstarter:

“The last feature (the first being Border Radio, recently released on Criterion) in a trilogy from award-winning filmmakers Allison Anders and Kurt Voss, “Strutter” tells the story of 22 year old BRETT (Flannery Lunsford) , a singer for a Los Angeles rock band who finds himself heartbroken when he loses his muse JUSTINE to his own local idol, the fast-ascending art rocker DAMON (Dante White Aliano). But with the support of his filmmaker gal pal CLEO (Elyse Hollander) , Brett not only learns to love again, he comes to form an oddly simpatico friendship with former romantic rival Damon. Along the way, Brett also learns to better understand his parents’ odd marriage, and the complications and compromises that come with adulthood.”

Voss and Anders have launched their second campaign for this movie with a new host of rewards and goodies for pledges — some odd and awesome — like a “cock sock” hand-knitted by HUNG star Thomas Jane and a 6-month membership to CineFamily (The Silent Movie Theatre on Fairfax for non-Los Angelenos). For a $300 pledge, Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen, Twilight, Lords of Dogtown) has donated autographed DVDs and making-of-books for many of her films. As always, you can pledge just $1 to help out and support an indie film totally financed by Kickstarter.

On a side note, this is Anders’ first movie in ten years. She has always supported myself and Bad People — we ran our Kickstarter drive during the same time STRUTTER ran its first. Years ago, she mentored me in screenwriting and is one of the most giving people I’ve ever met.

Check out STRUTTER’s KICKSTARTER page and support da indies!

Starting waaaay back at maybe the earliest known “horrifying film” (L’Arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat) (The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station), Metro currently has sneak peeks from the first thirteen parts available on his badass blog http://midnitemedia.blogspot.com/

Here are few snippets from the first three sneaks. Thanks to Jonny Metro!

Horror Explorer (Sneak Peek): 1910-1912

Part 1: Georges Méliès

The birth of the motion picture dates back to 1878, when English professor Eadweard J. Muybridge used a network of 24 still photo cameras to capture the gallop of a horse. All 24 images were then strung together and projected onto a screen to give the illusion of movement. This short film, now known asThe Horse in Motion is shockingly short, almost too brief to appreciate, but shown in a loop (as in the case below), one can understand how this concept captured the minds of millions…

Horror Explorer (Sneak Peek)

Part 2: The First Horror Film

The films of Georges Méliès, as discussed previously, were certainly amongst the first to contain fantastical elements and with them a plethora of imagery that can be related to the horror genre. But to call them horror films is perhaps pushing the envelope a bit, as they were obviously made to simultaneously impress the viewer with his trick photography and amuse them with the onscreen comedic antics, but rarely, if ever, to horrify.

Similarly, 1907′s Le Spectre Rouge (The Red Spectre) was a 9-minute short film from France that hearkens back to some of Georges Méliès films.  In it, a demonic magician performs his tricks until a good spirit arrives to thwart him.  Although not particularly frightening, and really just another example of a director showcasing their special effects, it is quite interesting and entertaining and well worth a look…

Horror Explorer (Sneak Peek)

Part 3: 1910-1912

Following close on the tail of 1909′s The Sealed Room was the silent version of Frankenstein, produced by Edison Studios. This film, running approximately 15 minutes, was the first film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel and was released on March 18, 1910.  It was once thought to be lost, but a print resurfaced in a private collection sometime in the early 1970s. The most startling change from what we are used to is the creation of the Monster. Here, there is no patchwork corpse strapped to a table, no lightning rod with which to give life. Instead, he is grown in a vat in a rather lengthy sequence. The monster that emerges is not familiar to us, as he does not appear similar to any of his other famous film incarnations, but rather like a misshapen cro-magnon with stringy hair and spindly legs…

Read all of “The Horror Hipster’s” Sneak Peeks!

• Part 4: 1913-1915
• Part 5: 1917-1920
• Part 6: 1921-1922
• Part 7: 1923-1924
• Part 8: 1925-1926
• Part 9: 1927
• Part 10: 1928-1929
• Part 11: 1930-1931
• Part 12: 1932
• Part 13: 1933

*Reprinted with permission by Jonny Metro (http://midnitemedia.blogspot.com/).

We’ll show you how we used certain techniques for The Age of Reason – though not perfectly — and what tools you can use to give your low-budget flicks a more professional look. Let’s start with explaining two basic concepts:

“Contrast & Affinity” – The Basics

One of the best books we’ve ever read on both the practical and theoretical aspects of imagery was written by Bruce Block, called “The Visual Story: Seeing the Structure of Film, TV, and New Media.” He explains the underlying concepts of visual structure — what he terms “Contrast” and “Affinity.”

Here’s a basic (too basic) explanation. Elements within a frame (Space, Line, Tone, Color, Movement, etc) work individually and together to create similarities (Affinity) or conflicts (Contrast). These two concepts are applied to the frame, the shot, shot-to-shot, scene-to-scene, etc. to create your movie.

In short, quoted from Block’s book (p.10):

“CONTRAST = GREATER VISUAL INTENSITY

AFFINITY = LESS VISUAL INTENSITY”

For example:

Which would you choose for a scene and why?

Let’s say these two pictures could be storyboards for a scene you are about to shoot where MAN and WOMAN are in a fight. Who is winning? In the Flat Space example, both characters occupy similar-sized space in the frame (Affinity) and are both roughly on the same horizontal and vertical planes (Affinity). However, the WOMAN seems to be slightly more powerful than the MAN, as she occupies center frame, cornering the MAN into frame-left.

In our Deep Space example, we see both the illusion of depth and the disparity in MAN and WOMAN’s sizes in the frame (Contrast). Our focus may still be on the WOMAN in the foreground yet all lines lead us to the MAN (Contrast). The MAN also occupies the part of the frame with the most contrast in Color Tone, so our focus is somewhat split. Again, Who has the power? Who do we sympathize with?

These questions and the choices made will all depend on your script, your dialogue, your scene — and eventually, your blocking. Personally, if their dialogue created intensity, I may not want to create more contrast in the space, color and lines, as this may distract from their dialogue.

When discussing space, ask yourself: What I am trying to achieve and why? How should I use Contrast and Affinity and for what visual elements?

Contrast and Affinity: Example from The Age of Reason – SHOT TO SHOT

INT. FREDDY’s HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Context: Freddy sits on the couch after a terrible night, wondering why he’s such a screw-up.

We wanted to keep Freddy isolated and imprisoned by his surroundings using an Affinity of Flat Space — but also create a sudden Contrast when we cut. We first chose a close-up with a longer lens and an Affinity of Tone in Color to flatten the space so he could blend in with the background.

CUT TO:

INT. FREDDY’s HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – MORNING

Context: Freddy has been on the couch all night. Hasn’t slept. Hasn’t moved.

We chose a Contrast of Tone in the Color palette to depict dawn; however, tried to keep the illusion of Flat Space by shooting head-on. Our awesome Production Designers had set the living room so we could use the symmetric division of space (Affinity) — also a tool for isolating Freddy.

What other aspects of Contrast and Affinity do you see in these shots? What would you do different?

“The Visual Story”

I highly suggest buying Bruce Block’s book. It’s the best theoretical and practical book on visual elements I’ve ever read. Here is an embedded preview from Google Books — if you like what you read, you can purchase the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Visual-Story-Second-Creating-Structure/dp/0240807790

Examples of Deep Space in The Age of Reason:

I Gotta Right!

This next installment of AOR Music highlights the range of tone and style we’re considering for different parts of the movie. All pretty dark in tone, but some heavy, some slow and another cartoony Cramps cover originally by Jack Scott… And you gotta love those Sic Alps — still the best band in the world.

For those in Northern or Southern California, here’s a few of Sic Alp’s upcoming shows:

11.04.11 San Francisco, CA @ Verdi Club (w/ Lilac, Sourpatch and Meridians)
11.05.11 Pomona, CA @ Pomona College
11.06.11 Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theatre (w/ Sun Araw)

Til next time, enjoy AOR Music. You can listen to this Bad People playlist on YouTube here.

********************

Local news write-up on the production of The Age of Reason.

Published Thursday, September 8, 2011 in the local Bexar & Medina County newspaper on the AOR production.

Beginning with basic talks and shot lists, Jordan Harris began to storyboard most of the scenes and shot list as much of the movie as possible. In the two weeks prior to shooting, our fantastic Director of Photography, TJ Hellmuth, sat down with us to get a visual sense of the movie. We spent two weeks drawing overhead schematics of basic blocking and camera positions to get a feel for the flow of the movie.

Here are embedded storyboards and overheads from production — used as a general template for building each scene as we went. They turned out to be very useful guides, as we shot so out of sequence. Sometimes they were ditched completely on the day — other times they worked entirely. Either way, we prefer to spend the time in pre-production visualizing the movie as much as possible. We view each draft of the script, each storyboard, shot list and overhead as a part of the process — they are only drafts of the movie. As we move further into post-production, we will cut and create even more…

The Age of Reason – Storyboards

The Age of Reason – Overheads

Split Diopter (+1)

Freddy Trapped in Haskell's Lair!

Art director Elizabeth McClellan.

Grip/princess Aren Zolninger.

Mutant best boy Nick Scimeca

Assistant art director Kate Morter

“We’re making a movie Bert!”