Serum 1831

Got some Updating to do!

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 05:31:00 +0000

I'm sorry. I've been neglecting you.

Life has been busy over the past couple of months. And today I thought I'd visit my blog and I noticed that my last post was the 4th of May! Yikes! Boy, I've REALLY been neglecting you.

Ok, so a quick recap of where we've been over the past 5, almost 6 months:

April, sometime: Beyond Robson Profile - the folks at the website beyondrobson.com interviewed me about Serum 1831 and a bunch of other things - the piece is finally up on the site. You can take a look here:

http://www.beyondrobson.com/filmmakers/anand_kanna/

May 5: KickStart screening - This year was truly great. All 5 of the films were wonderful, not a stinker in the bunch. Congrats to Jason, Brendon, Chad and Mark! I'm honoured to have been a part of this year's class of filmmakers.

June 4: Leo Awards - Went to the Leo Awards and got too excited when Tina Teoli won the award for Best Make-up for Serum 1831. Not too excited in THAT way. You dirty minds. Too excited in that I forgot to switch on the camera and record her speech.

June 11: Wedding in Kauai - Niece's wedding, it was beautiful.

Film Festivals: Added a bunch of other festivals to the list - Mississauga, Burbank International (where we were nominated for best Sci-Fi film), Filmi (the Toronto South Asian Film Festival), Shriekfest (Los Angeles), Tri-City Independent (Washington State), and the Vancouver Asian Film Festival!

July 8: DGC Nomination - Serum 1831 has been nominated for an Outstanding Team Achievement Award by the Director's guild of Canada. I'm off on a little plane ride tomorrow to attend the awards ceremony in Toronto! Yay!

Alright. That should tide things over until Monday, when I'll TRY to post something else.

Leo Awards!

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Wed, 05 May 2010 04:56:00 +0000

Got some great news yesterday. My little short film has been nominated for 4 Leo Awards! Yay!

Serum 1831 received nominations for Tina Teoli in the Best Make-up in a Short Film category, David Pelletier for Best Cinematography in a Short Film (also nominated in the Best Cinematography in a FEATURE Film category for his work on the Feature film "Excited", James Kusan and the folks at Post Modern Sound for Best Overall Sound Recording in a Short Film, and once again, the folks at Post Modern Sound for Best Sound Editing in a Short Film. Congratulations to all! You've made me so proud!

Been busy Lately

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Mon, 03 May 2010 18:26:00 +0000

We've had a couple of busy months on the old Serum 1831 front.

Had a few screenings at the Celluloid Social Club over the past couple of months.

There's a new Serum 1831 YouTube channel! Here you'll find two new trailers for the short film, as well as videos of interviews, Question and Answer sessions done after screenings and in the near future, webisodes. That's right - we're gonna start making a few webisodes, to advance the story of Robert, Andrew and Detective Love. Hopefully we'll have the first few up soon.

All of this is to keep the creative juices flowing and to expand the fan base for the upcoming feature film. That's right - we're gonna make a full length film based on Serum 1831. The script is in development and we're starting the search for financing. So if you have some extra cash and want to have your name attached to a great film, let me know.

And we decided to throw this thread up onto a zombie forum, to see what people in the know about zombie culture thought. so far we've had a few great responses and a the views of the trailers on YouTube have almost quadrupled! We're gaining momentum!

And to top it all off, It's Kick Start week! Thursday's the day that the five directors get together and show off their masterpieces. Now it's my turn on the hot seat. I may not have been kind to others in the past about their Kick Start films, and I fully expect to hear some grumblings about mine. But that's fine - if I dish it, I better be able to receive it.

Some more news...

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 04:21:00 +0000

Thought I'd put something up on the old blog today. Some good news!

Since my last posting, we've earned two additional screenings! And neither are in California! We're branching out!

The fifth screening of Serum will take place in West Chester Pennsylvania. Serum 1831 takes the East Coast! well, sorta.

The sixth screening happens, wait for it, in Supernatural British Columbia! Just got word that we've been accepted into the 2010 Okanagan Film Festival! This will mark the first festival appearance for the film in B.C. So who's going to Kelowna with me? End of July - save the date.

California Dreamin'

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:53:00 +0000

Well, after a very busy Winter Olympics here in Vancouver, it looks like I have something to add to the old blog... finally.

Serum 1831 has just been accepted into 1 more film festival, and has been invited to screen at another. That's 2 more screenings scheduled for the short film! While I was hoping for more than a total of four festivals at this point, I'm grateful that the film is getting noticed. Where it's getting noticed, however, interests me.

Out of the 4 film festivals that Serum 1831 has been selected to screen at, 3 of them are in Northern California. And on top of that, my previous film, Alternative Dispute Resolution, was selected to screen at 3 festivals, 2 of those in Northern California. Northern California loves me! So, as a few people have mentioned, maybe I should pack my bags and head to San Jose. Naw, I love Vancouver too much.

Off to bed I go. I've got a photo shoot to attend tomorrow. The website beyondrobson.com is revamping their site, and they are looking to feature some of Vancouver's up-and-coming talent, including yours truly. The interview took place before the Olympics, tomorrow I get pictures taken for the site, and all should be up on the inter-web by mid month. Should be interesting.

Screening night

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:42:00 +0000

Well I've finally got something to type about. It's been a pretty slow couple of weeks, no months, on the Serum 1831 front. But tonight, I finally got a screening in Vancouver. Yay! Hometown crowd finally gets to see the thing.

So down I went to the good old Chapel Arts building on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, and sat patiently in the crowd watching a whole bunch of short films. Some were the same old drivel that I've been ranting about before on this blog, leaving me wondering why this thing got made, but the majority of these shorts were funny, entertaining and a pleasure to see. I had a great time and it seemd that Serum went over well. Although, I thought it was unfortunate that my film was shown after 2 great funny little films. Unfortunate only in that the audience was in a laughing mood, and for the first few minutes of my film, they thought it was also a comedy, and laughed at some of the lines. That didn't bother me much, but I think it may have confused the audience a little, who quickly realized the film wasn't that funny at all. Oh well, they quickly got the picture.

Question and answer period at the end of the film was more of a "here's the mic, talk about your film". Me don't talk goodly in front of crowds, but after soliciting a few questions, things ended up going ok.

At the end of the evening, I have to say I was pleased with the number of people that came up and said how much they enjoyed the film. I would have liked to stay a little longer, but someone has to wake up in 5 hours to go back to work, and it was already WAY past her bedtime.

I would like to thank Films Talk Entertainment and the Celluloid Social Club for making me a part of the I Heart Van Art preview screening. I wish them the best of luck with their festival, and I hope that Serum will be seen somewhere during the festival in mid-February, but as I've been told, "the subject matter is a little inappropriate to be screened for the general public outdoors". I hope they change their minds and slot us in for a late night showing. I know a bunch of people that would love to come out and see it. Me front and centre.

And me learn to talk gooder in public if it gets the chance.

Promise.

Happy Birthday!

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:11:00 +0000

Geez, I've been so busy over the past few weeks, that I totally forgot about a very important birthday.

The BLOG! it's been one year since I've started writing the blog, and now that the film has been completed, I thought it would be nice to go back and read what I had written earlier. I'm interested in seeing if I made the mistakes that I ridiculed others about, and seeing if I followed the advice that others had given to me along the way.

So I think I'll do that tomorrow, and maybe I'll write what the ride was like.

As for the short this blog was about, Still only the two screenings to date, and none in my home province. Hopefully that will change in the next month or so.

Nothing to report

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:54:00 +0000

After the euphoria of being granted screenings at Shockerfest and the Edmonton International Film Festival, it seems this short has stopped short. No screenings to write about. Can't say I'm not disappointed. Was hoping to get into Vancouver and Whistler, but that didn't happen. It's hard keeping the chin up and trying to be positive when what you know is a really good film is being rejected by festivals left and right. Now I have to wonder if I'm really going to get that Oscar nomination. Oh well, At least I'm in good company. This article in the Vancouver Sun proves my point;

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/VIFF+logic+reason+just+rejection+filmmakers/2109436/story.html

I'm just glad I didn't come off as some cry baby director in a newspaper that thousands of people read, unlike the cry baby director that I sound like in my blog, that no one reads.

Come on festivals, show the movie!

What a day!

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:37:00 +0000

Screening Day! Just under a hundred family, friends and crew members wandered down to the Vancity Theatre in downtown Vancouver on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to watch the official private screening of Serum 1831. It was son nice to see everyone that worked so hard on this film come together again, this time to enjoy the fruits of their labour. And some good food. And wine. But no one drank any pellegrino today, which I think is odd. It was the first thing to go at the mini-screening in June. Go figure. Anywho, from the response of the assembled cast and crew, and friends and family, the film will be very well received.

Well, at least by some people. The Vancouver International Film Festival will not be showing Serum 1831. A bunch of people have asked me if I was really surprised. Well, yeah! But everyone I bitched to about this decision told me the same thing. And upon further review, and counseling from friends and family, I have to realize that they are right. My film never stood a chance.

It seems that VIFF is becoming more and more of a thinking man's film festival. Just speaking to some of the people there gives you a strange feeling. Not that strange feeling you get from eating a day old hot dog. But almost an inferiority complex type of feeling. They can't be bothered by "normal" people. This festival is showcase of the world's greatest cinematic arts! Yeah, whatever. The majority of films at this festival lacks any entertainment value. After reading the festival's literature pertaining to the films available to view this year, I have to say that I'm not really interested in seeing any of them. I try to go to at least, and I mean at the VERY LEAST, one film per festival year at VIFF. This year, it will be a chore to find one I really want to see. Art indeed.

Now you may say that that is just a bitter filmmaker whose work has been refused by the festival talking. But I'm not the only one that is grumbling.

I've asked my co-workers, and friends if they were planning on attending this year's film festival. The standard response was "When is it"? It seems that unless you have a stake in this festival, you don't know when it is. And this is a problem for the film community in Vancouver. If people in the industry don't know when their film festival is, but can tell you without hesitation when the Toronto International Film Festival is, that is a big problem. There is no interest in seeing the films at the Vancouver International Film Festival. The organizers need to change something.

And maybe that something is programming some films made by homegrown talent. This festival needs to change it's mandate. It should start promoting local filmmakers, performers and films. It needs to create a buzz within the local film making community. It needs to change it's programming. Something entertaining. Something that will draw in the general public. Now have I got a film for you.

But alas, they have already rejected me. No artsy-fartsy film festival for me. I'm happy to have Serum 1831 screening at the Edmonton International Film Festival in October. And at the Shockerfest screening in Modesto at the end of September. Two film festivals where people go to be entertained. Who knows, having not been selected for the Vancouver International Film Festival may be the best thing that could have happened to my film. It just means it's too entertaining for this festival.

So thanks Vancouver, for not screening my film at your festival. Confirms what I had set out to do in the first place. To make an enjoyable movie.

Going places

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 05:56:00 +0000

Well, I know it's been awhile since I last updated the blog, but haven't had too much to talk, or bitch, about.

Things are moving forward on the short film front. Looks like we're going to be screening the film for cast and crew on the 13th of September. Invites will be going out late this week. I'm really looking forward to showing it to the people who donated their time, equipment and expertise in making Serum 1831. I hope they are as proud of it as I am.

And they should be. This film is going places. I've sent the film off to 24 film fests and the notification dates are starting to creep closer. I've already heard from 2 of these fests and so far, we're 2 for 2! Serum 1831 will be shown at the Shockerfest FIlm Festival in Modesto California and at the Edmonton International Film Festival in beautiful Edmonton. That be Alberta. Tee-hee.

So great news, and hopefully more great news to follow! Would be awesome to get into the Vancouver Film Festival, and that's one of the next ones on the notification schedule. Hopefully when I screen this film on the 12th, I'll have a few more feastival dates to share with the crew.

Bedtime now.

Now taking Blu-ray pre-orders

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 01:53:00 +0000

So It's been a while since I last updated this blog. I haven't had much to talk about, other than a 3 week vacation to Australia, where the film was screened for a few family and friends to overwhelmingly good reviews, (hey, they're family. They're not allowed to give anything but), and a weekend of camping. So other than that, not much to write home about, Serum 1831-wise anyways.

But Now I have some news. The DVD and blu-ray versions of Serum 1831 will soon be available for you to view in the comfort of your own homes. For those who worked on the film either as cast, crew, background performers or suppliers, you deserve a FREE copy of the regular DVD version of the short. For those who didn't have anything to do with the movie, we'll talk. For everyone, we will be printing a VERY LIMITED NUMBER of blu-ray versions of the movie. This will be the Hi-Def, Dolby 5.1 surround sound version of the movie. Alas, as blu-ray authoring is still very expensive, I can't afford to give away free copies. So there will be a charge for the blu-ray version of the disc. I'm not looking to make a profit on the discs, I just need to cover the costs. I expect it to be in the $35 to $40 range per disc. However, the more people that order the blu-ray discs there are, the cheaper the cost gets.

So with that in mind, I am offering a pre-sale of the blu-ray version of Serum 1831. Please let me know if any of you would like to purchase a blu-ray version of the disc by August 3rd, 2009. On August 4th, I will send out an e-mail to those interested in purchasing a blu-ray version letting you know exactly how much it will cost. You will be able to pay for and pick-up your blu-ray disc at the cast and crew screening of the film, expected to be in mid-August.

Drop me an email at anand.kanna@silverdolphinfilms.com to let me know if you want to buy a blu-ray. All those who didn't work on the film, but do purchase a blu-ray or regular disc, get free admission to the cast and crew screening. All those who don't purchase one, we'll chat ;-)

Mission Complete

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:34:00 +0000

7 months and 3 weeks after being notified that I was selected as one of this year's recipients for the Kick Start award, the film is complete. 2 days of filming, 2 months of editing, 3 weeks of sound and video processing and we have a completed project.

The short looks awesome and sounds just as good.

I could not have done this without the help of a boat-load of people. Firstly, the Executive Producer, Grace Gilroy. Without her support on the application form, at the last minute, I might add, this project would never had made it off my desk.

Producer Geoff Teoli. Creatively challenging me and supporting me at the same time. Thanks dude.

Shane Vieau, the most easy going Production Designer around. Beautiful sets, masterfully decorated, and all done on the cheap. Shane worked his ass off on this short film, and all of his hard work shows. Thank you man!

Our on again / off again / on again Production Manager Monty Bannister. Put me through a lot of stress, but I do that to him on a daily basis so I deserve the payback. I know he had fun and his guidance steered the production in the right direction, at this point, which is under or near budget. Thanks.

Catherine Middleton. Deserved to be named a Producer on this film. Went above and beyond the call of duty in, a) bringing me back to earth after I axed a key person working on the film the night before we went to camera (I don't think I ever told that story on this blog, and I still think I was justified) b) playing peacekeeper to bring that person back into the fold so we could film the next day, and c) chauffeuring that person to and from set along with his entire production kit to make him happy. Thank You Catherine for putting the train back on the rails on the eve of production.

Then there's Alan Bartolic. A guy who has no business being a locations scout (even though he is a very good one) and should be an editor full time. The amount of time and effort he put into this film is simply unfathomable. Great ideas, great assembly. Alan made this film what it is today. He made this film his. Thank you, Thank you Alan Bartolic.

Tom Braidwood, my Mentor. Just watching you on the set taught me a lot of what to look for in filming a scene. Your eyes and ears honed the vision I had for this film. And you wrote a pretty good score for the film as well. Is there no end to your talents Thomas?

Mr David Pelletier. A little forward off the top, but definitely the right man for the job. Perfectly lit, well shot and you helped me look at things from a different perspective. More often than not, a better perspective. Thanks Dave.

The amazing cast, Kevan Ohtsji, Shaw Madson, Reese Alexander and Denyc. You brought these characters to life, and I have never regretted casting you in these roles. Here's to much success.

And I can't forget the crew. There are too many of you to name here. Everyone who came out, donating their time on a weekend, not asking for anything in return. Hard working, creative, and they all seemed like they were having a good time. Thank you all.

The fine folks at Post Modern and Finale Editworks, thanks for making this film look and sound amazing. You were gracious and really made us feel important, as if we were spending tens of thousands of dollars producing a feature film and not the couple of thousand that you did. Thanks Linda and Don.

And last but not least, I have to thank my wife Anu. Thank you for believing in me and supporting me the entire way. Without you, I would be a shadow of what I am today. Thank you and I love you.

So this film is now complete. I say "this film" instead of my film because it truly is not my film. This film was made by all of the people above. They made my vision come to life. I am just lucky to have been the director on this film. They have fulfilled a dream of mine, and deserve wheelbarrows full of credit for it's success.

Now that the film is complete, you may think that this is the end of the blog. no more entries. Well, YOU'RE WRONG! This is just the beginning. Serum 1831 now has a life. Public screenings, film festivals, awards! Well, maybe the awards part is a bit pre-mature, but one can hope. I will keep posting the life of Serum 1831 on this blog, so stay tuned for updates. No getting off now, the ride has just begun...

The End Is Near....

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:31:00 +0000

Tomorrow I go to Finale to take a look at my completed project. The Colour timing has been done, the sound has been added, and all of the effects are in as well. By this time tomorrow, I should have in my hand a copy of my completed short film. So exciting!

But for tonight, I have to try and get some sleep. Not easy to do in a house where the temperature is sitting at 29.5 degrees C. And That's the temperature inside. Ouch.

So off I go now, trying to sleep with visions of igloos dancing in my head.

I Love This Game!

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:58:00 +0000

Monday morning. We all got together at Post Modern Sound to watch the wizards of the mixing board do the sound mix. The experience was awesome! Music, Sound effects, dialogue, all came together and the movie sounds just awesome! Seeing it on the big screen with a pounding Dolby 5.1 surround sound mix was just awesome! It was quite the experience. Did I mention it was Awesome?

And we me with the folks at Finale Editworks on Tuesday. Looks like we'll be getting together in the next few days to do the on-line edit of the picture and start playing with the colour. After that, it's just a matter of days until this Kick Start film is Done! I can't wait!

Oh and speaking of Kick Start films, I was going to write a post-mortem about the films, but decided against it. I couldn't get rid of the headache I had from watching these films. Actually, the headache was not a direct cause of watching the films, it was from the banging of my head against the wall after watching these films trying to figure out how these people get their grants. I'm still trying to figure out why these some of these films were made.

Entertained I was not.

Kick Start Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:10:00 +0000

Tonight is screening night for all of last year's Kick Start award winners. It looks like they all completed their projects on time, regardless of the issues faced by the filmmakers, (see previous posts about that rant). They all deserve a hearty congratulations for getting their works completed. No small task, so good on you all. Looking forward to seeing the finished products tonight.

I have to say, watching some of these films in the past have brought me to the point of complete and utter frustration. I wonder, usually out loud, maybe too out loud, how some of these people have gotten their grants, and why the hell I keep getting passed over, (I can't bitch about that anymore). Some of these films are sooooo artsy that they leave most in the audience scratching their heads. Most of the time, after the film stops rolling there isn't a noise to be heard. These filmmakers try to make their film into the most thought provoking, poignant piece of art out there. They try to illicit an emotional response from the audience that they hope will propel the them into the stratosphere of filmmaking elite, but all they end up with is a 15 minute, $20,000 waste of time and effort. The quintessential "Canadian" film. And by that I mean a film that explores and tries to uncover the greater good or the moral deficiencies of today's society. Films that depress the soul, question one's existence, make you feel guilty about splurging on that $5 latte while street people have to weigh the options of either saving a friend's life or freedom? How many people really want to see that?

Now not all of the films made for the Kick Start program fall into the above category. A lot of films are good, entertaining and have done very well on the film festival circuit. Some have even gone into the distribution realm, something one can only dream of for their film. These are the few and far between. However, more and more are emerging.

And that is the direction this program should go. This program should be about choosing scripts and filmmakers that will generate some excitement in the film industry in B.C. They should focus on scripts and filmmakers that have the potential to take filmmaking in B.C. to the next level. Growth in the industry. Give these chosen director the tools and contacts to help them further their careers, get them to the next level to enhance the industry, employing the talent that this province is so rich in. No one goes to a movie to see films that, on a regular basis, is going depress them to the point of tears. This theme occurs all to much with Kick Start films, and for the benefit of the industry in Canada, maybe the focus should shift more towards entertainment and less on the moral questions facing the world.

And with that, I will go tonight to support my fellow filmmakers in their triumphant moments, showing off their films.

I better be entertained.

Oh, and by the way, here's the official poster for Serum 1831

Something to pique your interest

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:02:00 +0000

We're in the home stretch.

Dropped off the material at Post Modern Sound yesterday, and looks like we'll get a spotting session Thursday morning. Here is one of the things I was looking forward to. The chance to work with real post production people. These guys will take this thing to the next level. Only a few weeks to go, then we're all done!

Until then, here's some artwork for the film, as well as an option for the poster.

Enjoy.

Looking Good!

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:53:00 +0000

Got a chance to sit down with Alan today to look at the films again. But this time, it was a version Alan has been working on that takes this thing to another level.

I know I was saying that I wanted to have this film done and out on the festival circuit by the end of March, but after missing that one festival that I really wanted to get it done for, getting it for the end of March didn't really matter. Having a job to pay the bills also helped in this decision. So, after re-thinking the priorities, it made sense to take a little more time to get this done to the best of our abilities. And boy, did Alan ramp this sucker up!

What I saw today looked absolutely amazing. This is going to be a great looking film, and the extra time taken to bring it to this level is well worth it.

I can't wait to see this thing completed. We should be sitting down with the folks at Post Modern Sound next week sometime to do our spotting session, and we should have the mix done on the 25th. With a little luck, we'll have a screening before I head on down to Australia in the middle of June.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

Oh, and I finished off my new website. If anyone other than me reads this, have a look,

www.anandkanna.com

DONE! Almost....

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 05:11:00 +0000

Today we finally finished the fine cut. Actually, Alan finished the fine cut. I just watched, and put in my two cents every now and then.

But I did do the end credit sequence all by myself! And it looks mighty fine, if I do say so myself.

So now it seems that we are rolling along on this short film, approximately 1 month behind schedule. But I figure there is no real rush in getting this done. We'll take our time and make sure what we put on the screen is the best possible product that we can produce. And from what I see so far, it will be amazing.

In two weeks, we'll hand it off to the sound guys and the post production house to add their magic. It's getting exciting. This is the part of the project that I was actually looking forward to the most. I have always been my own post production house. Everything was done by me, here in front of my Mac. Now with this project, I get a real post production crew, professionals that will, without a doubt, take my project to the next level. I can't wait... again.

Glad that's over

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:12:00 +0000

The TV Pilot I was working on...on the short.

I've gotta say, that was one of the stupidest exercises I have been through. Not the people I was working with, but the locations we were filming in.

We were in a house where the owner was just too overbearing. Insane contract demands, insane location fees, and now, insane restoration demands. Laughable. And we had the opportunity to go with another location, well in advance of ever filming there, but never took the chance. Frustrating.

And then there's the nutbars in another part of town, that see a film company coming and just want to bleed every last penny from them. These retailers are hurting because of the economy, and their solution is to hold a film company ransom so they can stay in business. I mean, we weren't even filming on their street, didn't park any vehicles on their street, had nothing to do with their street. They weren't even open for business when we were filming! And they demand huge amounts of cash for loss of business? The nerve of some people.

But it's all over. And it seems that a lot of TV pilots are wrapping up at the same time. Looks like the whole post production team on my short will be jobless for a little while, all at the same time, and it seems that we may get this film done in fairly quick order.

Alan's almost through with the rough edit, and from what I've seen so far, it looks really good. Some things are a little washed out, but generally the picture looks great, the performances are great, and I am happy so for. I can't wait to see the final product. Hopefully Alan will have something ready by the end of the day, or early tomorrow.

Long time no see.

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 05:06:00 +0000

So it's been a long time and I have no to film to see.

I think I shot this short at the right time of year. Since then, the film industry in Vancouver has gone absolutely insane. Everyone is working. And not just working - working like mad. IT'S MADNESS I SAY!

I am in the middle of a 6 day straight stretch, with another one coming up next week. I may have to work this Saturday as well, giving me no days off until Good Friday. And others are in the same boat.

Alan hasn't been able to get too much done. He's chipping away, but the TV pilot he's working on is as insane as mine. The visual effects guys are being kept busy on another pilot they're working on as well. Haven't heard from them for a few weeks. Like I said - good thing I shot my short when I did - no one's available to help now and it looks like the rest of the year will be just as busy - but maybe not quite at the same pace.

However, all of this production in Vancouver poses one problem - the Post Production houses will be getting very busy as well. Right around the time that I need to do post on my short. I hope that doesn't get too expensive for me.

So regardless to say, no new news on the Serum 1831 front. Alan is still editing and says everything looks great. Hopefully he'll be able to cut some things together and we can meet up near easter to look at a rough cut. Release date now looking like end of April.

Stills and Editing

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 05:20:00 +0000

After a short vacation in Vegas, landed back in Vancouver on Thursday and got back to business. Picked up the Stills photos from Goga, and boy do they look great. Words can't describe the photos, so you'll just have to see them for yourself. I put a few on the website ( www.silverdolphinfilms.ca/serum1831.html ) for anyone reading this to take a look.

Also got my first look at some of the footage yesterday. Alan put together the first scene and I gotta say it looks pretty good. Little bit of continuity issues, but overall the scene worked well. Then the second scene.

All started ok, but then turned sideways pretty fast, as the dolly move wasn't quite executed as hoped. I have 2 actors sitting across from each other in an interrogation room, and it seems that everytime one actor starts saying his lines, all I see is the back of the other actor's head, obscuring the actor delivering his lines. We noticed this on set, and it was brought to the attention of the camera department, but I don't think they got the message. The timing is just not there. Useless if we can't see the actor speaking his lines. Too bad, some of those shots were beautiful. Beautiful, but useless.

So the process goes on. Tomorrow I pick up my next drawdown of funds, and that will keep the editing ball rolling.

Until I have something more to say, enjoy some pictures.

Done... Sort of.

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:39:00 +0000

It's over.

4 months of planning all came to a head over the last 2 days. We finished principal photography at 7:00 last night, and I have to say I got everything that I wanted. The performances from the actors, the images on the screen, the sounds. It was all there. But the biggest thing for me was the people.

We had a crew of about 45 people working on set on this short film. That doesn't include the guys from Locations Caterers working at their shop to feed this little army. That doesn't include the casting personnel, the drivers who came out to drive one truck around and Tracy the security captain who sat outside the studio overnight to watch a truck and make sure no one thieved from us. Doesn't include the guys from William F. Whites and Inspired Cinema Camera Systems who took the time to put together a great equipment package, then to also give us incredibly great deals on those equipment rentals. I have never had so many people come out and help me on a short film, and ask for nothing in return. To these people, I offer you my sincerest, heartfelt thanks.

So the filming part of the short is done. Now it's into the editing room. Got lots to look at. And lots of ideas on where to go from here. I couldn't wait to get this thing filmed, and now I can't wait to get this thing edited. Alan better not be sleeping right now. EDIT DAMN IT! EDIT!

9 hours

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 07:00:00 +0000

What a day. Extreme elation to extreme frustration, back to elation then to frustration again. Talk about a roller coaster.

I have to give full credit to my Production Designer, Shane Vieau. This fellow has poured his heart and soul into this short film, from calling in favours, to painting sets all by himself, this man has been tireless in making my vision come to life. Without his dedication, this short would be a fraction of of what it is. From my heart, I thank you.

Elation came in viewing the sets that Shane built. I walked into the location and my jaw dropped. What a beautiful, amazingly decorated set Shane built. I was beside myself. I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

Then the Frustrations began. But it's getting late and I have a movie to make tomorrow, so We'll leave that for another day.

Thanks Shane.

3 days

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:23:00 +0000

Starting to get excited.

Had a great read-thru with the cast yesterday. It's kinda magical when a script you've had running around in your head is actually read aloud by some very talented performers. To actually hear the words, it was awesome. And the way these guys read it, it was almost exactly how I had envisioned it. A little tweaking and hey, it will be there. With this cast, I don't have to do much.

Everything else is falling into place. The sets are built and are being dressed as we speak. Wardrobe is running smoothly, I've got a lab full of animals now, and camera seems to be sorting itself out. My only problem, and it could be a big one, is the visual effects department. Still no word from my supervisor of visual effects. I guess I better start planning on filming this thing without the aid of visual effects.

Not the end of the world, but it would have definitely made the final product that much better. A drooling, stumbling un-dead pig. Think of how cool that would have been. Maybe we can put some make-up on the pig, or something.

So, it looks that everyone is moving in the same direction and Saturday will be one helluva day. I may not be writing much over the next week or so, but I have to say using this blog as a medium to vent has helped me immensely. I should do this more often.

Feeling calm, for some strange reason.

noreply@blogger.com (Anand) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:25:00 +0000

All of my life, I have procrastinated. If I don't have a deadline, I would put it aside and get to it later. More often than not, I would get the job done, but only after waiting until the last minute, and then once finished and out of my hands, I would forget a vital part of the package. Whether it was a science project, book report, some piece of paper due for work or something in my personal life, I always left the job for a later time. I mean, my last short film sat on a shelf for over a year because I didn't have a hard deadline for it's release. Usually I have some sort of thing gnawing at me to finish the job. I still have some tiles to grout in the kitchen, and those have been there for 14 months (got one side grouted, just need to finish the other side).

That's how I've always been. And as a result of that, sometimes my planning is a little off. I usually forget to do something. I know something needs to be done, and that usually gnaws at me. It makes me anxious to the point I can't sleep at night. Which is why, right now, I am wondering why I am feeling rather calm.

I am 1 week away from making my short film masterpiece, and I can't help but feeling I have all of the bases covered. Camera? Check. Sets and decorations? Check. Everyone's insured that needs to be insured. Food is something I don't have to deal with this time, thank God. Got a KILLER cast. Contact lenses are being worked on, got a pig. Two pigs actually. The only wild card right now is my VFX team.

This is the first time I have any visual effects on a film and I have to admit, I'm not sure what needs to be done. My Visual Effects Producer is out in Toronto, and I would dearly love to talk to him about what the hell I need to do on set on Saturday. He hasn't called me in 2 weeks. Will I ever hear from him? Is he still alive? Will someone still be there with me from his department? Should I start planning on not having any VFX in this film? Will the price of gas in Vancouver ever drop below the 80 cent a litre point again?

Ok. That calm feeling, slowly fading away. I guess I'll get no sleep tonight. At least something is back to normal.