Film Douglas News

THIS IS SANLITUN available to rent on VIMEO ON DEMAND!

2014-07-25T14:38:00.001+08:00

This is Sanlitun is now available to rent ($4.99) or to download ($9.99) at Vimeo on Demand.

In a bold move likely to be welcomed by filmmakers, Vimeo, the video platform, in partnership with Toronto International Film Festival, is offering the Festival's world premieres a $10,000 advance for distributing via Vimeo on Demand.

"We're firm believers in direct distribution," said Vimeo's CEO, Kerry Trainor, in an interview. "We are focused on empowering filmmakers with the highest quality platform to control the distribution and monetization of their content - in any territory, on any device, at any time, and across a wide range of price points."

Click here to view our trailer or full movie!

Rising Sun vs This is Sanlitun

2013-07-27T12:26:00.001+08:00

This Is Sanlitun (Teaser Trailer)

2013-06-01T13:09:00.001+08:00

Tianjin Scene Shot and on to the last day (THIS IS SANLITUN)

2012-10-28T04:42:00.005+08:00

We're in the final stages of editing, the first rough cut is done. We finally shot our "long awaited" Tianjin scene yesterday, a scene that takes the film briefly outside of Beijing to the city of Tianjin, we've been delaying that shoot for reasons of laziness, I guess. Today is our final day of pick up shoots, a couple of scenes that will be shot and inserted in to the movie starting with a sunrise scene at 6.30am. When today is over we'll have all the material to make that rough cut start to shape up to a final cut.

Chris and Carlos on the train back to Beijing

Robert being a serious director

Gee / Rushes

2012-08-06T16:20:00.001+08:00

Our producer had a small preview screening for us last Saturday, most of the cast and crew showed up to watch 6 selected rough edited scenes from the movie. People enjoyed themselves and the screening party was a nice success.

Now to continue editing and post production which will hopefully result in a finished product sometime before November 2012.

Gee / The Beast

2012-07-22T09:29:00.001+08:00

We call it The Beast:

Gee / Fascinating Tech Stuff (EDITING)

2012-07-14T22:42:00.000+08:00

My choice of editing software was basically between two NLE's (non-linear editing software) Adobe Premiere or Sony Vegas. Avid was out of the question because I can't stand it and it's cumbersome, buggy and expensive. I've used Avid in my four previous films and that's enough. Adobe Premiere is obviously more expensive than Vegas and supposedly a brilliant piece of software, with all it's effects and serious "film geek" stuff added to it ... we'll, I'm not making a 3D music video and most of all I wanted all the audio and video files synced together with one click of a button. So, even though I tried Adobe Premiere out, the fact that it wasn't handling Pluraleyes too well made me switch over to Sony Vegas (it's also much cheaper) where Pluraleyes managed to sync everything we shot with just that one click of a button. I don't know why Pluraleyes didn't work with Premiere but it crashed every single time I tried to run the program, something it didn't do when running with Sony Vegas. Pluraleyes is a little piece of software that allows you to sync audio recorded seperately to the audio that the camera records, thus basically doing away with clapping scenes. In the end I chose Sony Vegas and although a very unfasionable NLE it's the one that seems to have no serious problems so far in the process of editing a quite basic no special effects feature film. Another strange thing that this "inferior" NLE has that Adobe doesn't have is real time vector scopes, that's pretty cool :) . I think the only feature film edited on Vegas so far has been Paranormal Activites and now GEE (working title).

CUDA issues, one of the main reasons to go for either Adobe Premiere or Vegas these day's is that they both take advantage of Nvidia's CUDA engine, which allows you to use the GPU to render footage at much higher speeds than before. Although not important right now during the editing it will be nice to have those features available once rendering out sequences for various other creatives like composers or sound designers is needed. But of course Sony being slow on updates the GPU availability is not picked up on my graphics card which is the latest and greatest Nvidia GeForce 680, therefore rendering that feature pretty useless so far. I'm hoping by the time I need it that they'll both have gotten their heads together and updated the drivers or software for this card to be used to it's full potential, now I might as well get the card from my old pc and see if that allows GPU acceleration.

System:

Windows 7 64bit, Intel i7 3960X, 32GB RAM Corsair, Nvidia GeForce 680, 3TB Drive,

Someone Like You

2012-07-10T14:37:00.004+08:00

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDI1NzY0ODg0.html

The crew break into song during filming of our movie...

WRAP PARTY / Gee

2012-07-02T04:44:00.002+08:00

Although we've started the editing process we still had some "official" shooting to do, so the final scene was shot today and we celebrated by having a wrap party. Some street food at The Worker's Stadium followed by free cocktails in a bar set up by our production manager Stacey and then some KTV fun (Karaoke) ... oh and of course followed by The Final of The Euro's 2012, sad to say that most of the crew supported Italy. It was a great Wrap and a great crew - Thanks to Jeremy (sound), Matthew (camera), Lemon (AD) for taking us out on a high note in the KTV by singing "My heart will go on" what else? :)

Suzanne is the winner of the Euro 2012 sweeps - and the rest of the crew owe her 20rmb each!

Gee / Crew Menu (last 4 weeks)

2012-07-01T12:55:00.001+08:00

As a good low budget film the daily menu consisted of three standards

McDonald's (When we felt a bit flash)

Dumplings (Most of the time)

Pizza (When we really decided to treat the crew)

Gee / Crew standings in Euro 2012

2012-06-24T17:27:00.000+08:00

As we can see below, the Euro 2012 Gee Crew Sweeps are heating up:

With Carlos having a difficult choice tonight in siding with national pride (England) or winning the sweeps and getting 200rmb (Italy).

Actor Christopher Loton
Portugal
~~Ireland~~

Actor Carlos Ottery
Italy
~~Croatia~~

Director Robert Douglas & Accountant Jo Jo
Holland
Greece

Assistant Director Lemon
Russia
France

Line Producer Re Lim
Germany
~~Sweden~~

Production Manager Suzanne
Spain
~~Poland~~

Sound Engineer Jeremy
Czech Republic
Denmark

Cinematographer Matthew
England
~~Ukraine~~

10 Movie Stills from "GEE" (Working title)

2012-06-24T17:04:00.001+08:00

Preliminary shooting is done and although there are a few pick up days ahead of us most of the shooting is in the can, so to speak. I'm currently syncing the sound files to the video files and have started a rough cut. We came up with a title the other day, based on the theme's, location and well ... weirdness of the movie so far.

how about Manhattan 2 : Beijing

How on earth we'll convince the investors that this is a viable title, I don't know :)

Gee / June 15th Pictures

2012-06-15T12:04:00.002+08:00

Shooting Pictures & Stills

Lunch Break

David acting as Jonathan Taylor-Sharpe get's the French sound treatment

Tired crew at the office

Jo Jo orders a van for The Great Wall outing

On the way to The Great Wall

Cool Headphones

Director and Leonardo discuss

Tai Chi in Tuanjiehu Park

Sound in the park

Still from Gee

Gee / Some more CREW QUOTES!

2012-06-13T23:15:00.002+08:00

That's us, the crew.

More Quotes from The Crew!

"Don't tell Robert about my dream"

Chris one of the main actors telling another main actor not to mention anything to the director.

"I dream't about you last night, you were being a dick in Hollywood and Richard was your gimp"

Director telling Chris about his dream.

"I'm having a visual orgasm right now!"

Boris a friend and co-film maker get's a sneak preview of some of the footage shot on the Nex 5n camera.

"It's a good drink, I think I might just grab a bottle of this with me later"

Stacey's most commonly used sentence (our production manager).

"If it's raining and the sun is shining at the same time, what do you get?"

"A bimbo?"

Carlos asks our accountant a question, she obviously meant to say "a rainbow" but somehow the words came out wrong.

"I did not Smaghi, I did not wake, me busy, sorry"

Grisha our assistant cameraman.

"I did a lot of stuff when I was young"

Matthew our 20 year old cameraman.

"Hey, you always look angry on photos"

"It's not angry! It's sexy!"

Our accountant tells us how it is...

Chris makes Carlos his Gimp!!

2012-06-13T23:03:00.001+08:00

We're on day 496 of a 15 day shoot, thing's are happening that we didn't think would happen. Anyway, only 3 day's left of this and then it's a WRAP.

Crew Euro Sweeps Great Wall

2012-06-10T22:17:00.002+08:00

We shot a great scene on The Great Wall today (obviously). Then the remaining crew did a Euro 2012 Football Championship sweep among themselves, here's how the draw went:

The crew members team which ends the highest (wins the final) will result in that crew member being payed 20 rmb from each of the other crew members in the sweeps. The one who ends lowest will be fired.

Actor Christopher Loton
Portugal
Ireland

Actor Carlos Ottery
Italy
Croatia

Director Robert Douglas & Accountant Jo Jo
Holland
Greece

Assistant Director Lemon
Russia
France

Line Producer Re Lim
Germany
Sweden

Production Manager Suzanne
Spain
Poland

Sound Engineer Jeremy
Czech Republic
Denmark

Cinematographer Matthew
England
Ukraine

The Strong Women Of Our Crew

2012-06-05T19:56:00.002+08:00

before it all began

Some respect has to go out to our female staff who make up our whole production department and thus have to deal with some very strange, spur of the moment and rather unpredictable decisions made by the director and the two associate producers. They handle the job better than we could have hoped for, staying with us through everything and always dealing any kind of problems in a very professional way, which can perhaps not be said about the actual creative force behind the movie, The movie will be a masterpiece of absurd comedy because you allow us to be stupid boys on set.

Thanks :)

Pictures from the movie

2012-06-05T18:05:00.001+08:00

Cromwell and Carlos acting in "The Business Meeting"

Actors and Crew in our production office

Sound does need a lot of batteries

Actress Ida (MoMo) talks to a friend

Grisha (Grip) and Matthew (Camera)

Carlos and Chris aka Gary and Frank

Gary in his fancy apartment

Getting the keys from his landlord (played by our assistant production manager Suzanne)

Leonardo eats some home made pasta courtesy of our Producer

Director tries to be director like

The French are so Charming

Jeff (aka Cosmos) takes a break

The two male models

Re Lim (our Duracell Bunny) - Production Manager

Three additions to our lens range

Thanks for a good birthday!

2012-06-05T03:44:00.000+08:00

Well, really ... I couldn't have asked for a better birthday, from the drama and soap opera situations we got ourselves into before lunch to the perfect takes we somehow managed after lunch, all rolled into one day. This was a good day of shooting, and yeah the cake was nice along with the home made pasta - and the gifts. Also, my son (struggling a little bit with Icelandic but trying to be perfect) called me up and said "Merry Christmas Dad" ... :) and of course Jo Jo was my rock as always! Just like Lemon was Chris's Aid and he was her Rock, Chris Rock... ah yeah, well whatever.

Producer and Composer (or male model)

Well, just signing another million dollar contract?

Better pictures will be posted in the future

yeah

So called film makers

The Accountant (not an erotic movie title, but actually our movie accountant)

Three camera guys and a sound dude in the corner! (not a french comedy movie title, but actually our movie camera guys and the french sound guy).

Gee / Old times

2012-06-04T01:02:00.002+08:00

Today was a great day of shooting, felt a bit like the good old day's when everybody told us the movie looked shit but it was funny as hell ... (when we shot the first 20 minutes, back in December). We've had a few of those day's but some of our bigger "set pieces" have felt like - well, honestly, like we don't know what we're doing. But despair not, these kind of day's are ahead of us. Thank's to the production team who started us off on all the big scenes (plus the scenes we've not written) and eased us into the scenes that we've shot a 100 times before ... of course :) Anyway, This was a great day, some comedic genius at play!

PS. feel, free, to , ... fix the punctuation, anytime, mister ... co administrator! ? !

Gee (Day Something) Bust Ups & More Quotes

2012-06-03T10:57:00.001+08:00

People are tired, real tired ... feels like this shoot could go on for 3000 day's. We're on day something of a schedule that is ever changing and getting longer and longer as we speak. Originally suppose to wrap tomorrow on my birthday, we're now wrapping tentatively on the 17th of June (my countries national day). At the same time I am now starting the process of a rough cut since I've put myself a deadline of a rough cut by the end of June. My life is now starting to feel like "All That Jazz" and I'll by having nightmares about Jessica Lange before I know it, so far sadly I've just been having weird dreams about Chris Loton. Oh and I did have my first "storming off the set" moment the other day, it involved Carlos Ottery our main actor and it belongs to one of the quotes of the day :

Quotes from Cast & Crew

"Fuck you"

"No, Fuck you"

Director and Main Actor in a dispute

"I don't need 50rmb for a Taxi, I'd rather see it spent on Dumplings for the crew"

Chris Loton (one of the lead actors)

"I won't answer any questions until I get a tissue"

Robert Douglas (director)

"How much do I get payed?"

"You get payed in respect and love"

"Fuck that, I want an iPad"

Accountant discussing payment with Chris Loton

"Does your girlfriend usually wear these hooker style dresses?"

"No no, that was a costume!"

"Oh, that's good"

"What's wrong with the dress? I liked it"

Jo Jo our accountant asks Chris Loton a question about his girlfriends dress, Carlos Ottery quips in with his opinion last.

"You still with us?"

"I know, I am sorry, I'm very confused"

Director is surprised to see the Belarusian camera assistant still on set on day 10 after he said he could only work 4 day's.

"You said I'd be wearing pants"

"Yes, hot pants"

"what?"

"They're still pants aren't they?"

Production manager tries to convince an actor to wear tight hot pants (and nothing else)

"Actually, we have a kind of problem here"

(with a heavy french accent) Our sound man's most commonly used sentence

"Is Lemon going to be your Lemon-Aid?"

Chris asks Robert a question about his Assistant Director (Who's name is Lemon).

Three creators writing the next day's scene with only hours to go.

Actress and Production Manager in the office.

Props

Unveiling of The Gro Up product (a scene in the movie)

The Girls of Gee

Beijing Vespa Club joins us for a scene

Cool Cods

Movie Crew Quotes (part 2)

2012-05-31T17:09:00.001+08:00

"Who ordered organic dumplings? That is not going to happen again!"

Director when faced with the bill from the dumpling place.

"What? You're not doing make-up on male actors? I need make-up!"

Actor who plays Claude (the male model) on discovering that he would not be required for make-up

"I don't get what's so funny?"

"If you don't try and get what's funny about this scene then you shouldn't be trying to act in this movie!"

Two of the extra's discussing a scene they're about to play, one of them being a bit pissed off by the other one.

"I liked your original ending, but now it seems it's missing some key points to bridge it over to that all important third act. I'm just offering my advice."

"Don't worry, we decided to go for a dumb and dumber ending rather than some cheesy soap opera ending, it's going to be fine."

An Actor shares his opinion on the ending and Director answers.

"You're a comedic genius!"

An investor talking to Chris (one of the leading actors)

"I decided to spend the night with a lot of naked chinese guys, it's a good deal for 200rmb you get the whole spa treatment, sauna and a buffet and you can sleep there."

Our main actor Carlos on how to charge his batteries between shooting days

"That scene was so realistic Dad!"

Director's daughter talking about a scene between Carlos and Ai Wan where they are an ex couple arguing loudly about their lives.

"Maestro! Maestro! We have only used steadycam once! It's no good Maestro!"

Our Belarusian camera assistant...

"I want you to smile in Chinese"

Director asking one of his actors to smile in Chinese (but he meant "talk in Chinese).

"Robot, how do you want the make-up to be in this scene?"

"Robot, what costume do you want in this scene?"

Costume designer still hasn't gotten to grips with the director's name, ROBERT!

"Actually, I do not think I look like the Camera Assistant, Actually I think I look more like him." (points to male model).

Sound guy has had enough of the crew thinking he looks like the Belarusian camera assistant and want's to set the record straight.

Gee / One for the tech nerds

2012-05-29T16:54:00.002+08:00

our camera & sound equipment

Sony Nex5n camera, Sony 50mm F1.8, Sigma 19mm F2.8, Tamron 20mm F1.8, Sigma 50mm F1.4, Nikon 85mm F1.4 / Zoom H4N recorder and Sony Sound equipment.

next up we'll show you the grip equipment - that's serious!

Gee / So Far So Good

2012-05-29T14:52:00.001+08:00

It's been an interesting few day's shooting Gee (Carlo's video blog to his mom in London) - as we've told passers by who ask us questions, "this is for our friend because his mom can't travel to Beijing she want's to know what it's like". Thankfully our camera looks like an iphone but the quality we're getting out of it is quite amazing, ah technology and the advances it's made since my first short movie on a JVC VHS "Cam Corder" in the 1980's. Anyway, given the current situation around this area we've stripped our crew to the bare minimum during outside street shots but keep the full crew when we're in interior locations. We've had a couple of people drop out but the best of them have stayed with us :) There's just the 4 of us in the Camera/Tech/Director's department and then about 10 in the Production department, I think the ratio of boys to girls is the same, with the girls in majority - yeah Cannes!!! take that.

More Pictures (these from yesterday)

Movie Crew Quotes (part 1)

2012-05-29T02:25:00.000+08:00

So, still a bit too tired to blog anything meaningful or sarcastic, instead I'll write down a few real quotes that our crew members have uttered during these first day's of shooting.

"The audience in the cinema won't smell your costume"

Shadow (our costume designer) when asked by one of our leading men if she had a budget to put his costume to the cleaners because it smelt too bad to wear anymore.

"Nobody shouts on my set"

Our great director making a point during a heated discussion between budget and costumes.

"Woman like banana, Woman like banana, Woman like banana"

Our Belarusian camera assistant handing out fruit to some of the female staff.

"Sorry I woke up! I can not come"

Our Belarusian camera assistant telling us that he can't show up for the day's shooting.

"This is my translator, she will now translate Russia to English for me, she is from Korea"

Our Belarusian camera assistant introducing us to his assistant.

"Who doesn't like a sexy woman in a bikini?"

Our female Production manager stating the obvious.