Seems like a good way to close down this blog...for now...

Here we see Michael Clark over in Scotland dressed in the casual "Darkness Aftermath" cap making his ensemble complete and stunning...yeah...whatever...he looks so American now...sorry, Michael. Any way, I'm devoting a lot of time to the new movie, but we'll still post info ocassionally on this blog if DA ever gets a distributer or takes off. In the meantime, check out our Beneath Shadows blog...click here to get there...and stay in touch with Michael's shenanigans at Stirton productions...click here.

CATV

The movie started out with no sound...I called the studio and with in less than five minutes, Heath (CATV WIZARD) got the movie rolling. They then followed it up with the documentary that Amanda made. Several people sent me emails that they saw or DVR'd the premiere...it was cool to turn on the TV and see it showing.

I promise that I am not Lucasifying the movie...

Two bits of Good news...

1. Ted figured out that the problem we had transferring the movie from Premiere to the DVD had something to do with interlacing and he's figured out how to make the movie appear a lot smoother. Some of you may have noticed the 'pixelated' look to some scenes. Well that, as of next week, will be taken care of.

2. Darkness Aftermath will premiere on IPFW's cable access channel (I think it's 59...I'll know for sure tomorrow and update the post) at 10:00 pm this Saturday. Unfortunately it will be the less than glorious looking version, but we can then have a campus-wide release next month or rebroadcast it later.

"You gotta take the rough with the smooth..." Doctor Who (Tom Baker)

Okay. The distribution company isn't panning out as ligit. My wife did some research and the company isn't reputable. On the bright side...it looks like Darkness Aftermath will be going into the Fort Wayne Library Down Town.

A weird dream...

This is not my car...


though I used to drive a 1972 Mercury Marquis...it was blue. It was big - like this one. And last night Michael Clark drove it from Scotland to Fort Wayne Indiana...at least he did in the totally surreal dream I had last night...

That's right, a guy I never met, though I think of as a friend, drove my old car from his home in Scotland to have breakfast with me at my house (full of cats) in Fort Wayne Indiana...when I questioned him about the long drive through the ocean, he just smiled...

I really need more sleep...last night 3 hours...night before, 5 hours...

By the way, Michael, in my dream you rocked out on guitar after eating bagels and orange juice while I jammed on the drums at a local theater. Great job.

Night time now...

The new movie is under way...

Posted some photos over at Beneath Shadows...click here...

Jon's art...page two...

Still can't believe the movie is done...

We've had some positive and slightly negative reviews of the movie...which I expected. Once people realized that this was our first venture out into the feature length sci-fi fantasy genre and that we had zero cash and a crazy shooting schedule as well as a script that changed weekly due to the disappearance of actors and crew, they are much more lenient in their reviews.

I'm not making excuses...the movie has its flaws. But it's our first and I am extremely proud of the work everyone did on it.

Now, on to Beneath Shadows!

Michael was kind enough...

...to leave a positive review. Your checks in the mail.

Click HERE.

Mark reviews Darkness Aftermath...

Mark, over in Scotland, the guy behind THE PLANET and ONE DAY REMOVALS, just watched our humble little flick and seems to have liked it...read here...

He also seems to want in on the next adventure...he shall have his wish!!!

Next week we being posting some concept art for BENEATH SHADOWS. Mark gets first pick of the madness...

Posted...

...some photos over at the BENEATH SHADOWS blog.

Also, in regards to the weather...I began rewriting the opening to take place in a muddy field instead of a snowy field. Behold, it is snowing!

My very thoughts control the weather...

When we shot DARKNESS AFTERMATH, we needed rain. It was the driest summer in ten years. Now that I need two scenes in the snow for BENEATH SHADOWS, we have a winter heat wave and all of the snow has turned to water that is once again pooling in my basement. So I am taking requests. You tell me the location you are in and the weather you want and then I'll write the exact opposite weather conditions into the new script.

Old posters...the dates make me laugh...

Was going through the old blog archives and came across these little gems of silliness...

Sales are good...entering Film festivals now...

Check out our next production at THIS link...

Coolness...

...we actually started selling DVDs...and so far, the reviews are good!

FINALLY!

Ted and I will be mass producing copies of the double disc set this Saturday morning...have your $15.00 ready on Monday! Let the sales begin.

DONE!

Commentary track...

Commentary track...

Last night we went to HOT BOX studios to record the commentary track…lets talk about Hot Box for a moment…this is a barn that had no air conditioning or heat (and our actors and actresses had to use it as a dressing room…we also shot Switch and The Old CareTaker in it)…the walls were nothing but slats of wood…there was dirt on the floor…there were spiders everywhere…just ask Dani and Tarina…

A few months after we shot at that location, it was decided (by my church and the owner) that the studio would be turned into a meeting place for the youth at my church and given the name…the LOFT (hot Box Studios- no more) suddenly had air conditioning and heat for the winter…

We were given permission to do our commentary track in the LOFT…however…the LOFT heater sounds like a jet plane taking off…so we turned off the heater…started the video…and recorded our commentary track…even though we had to don winter clothes half way through…we managed to get the commentary done…


Below, me and Tarina...

Commentary Matt, Tarina and Ted...

3000!

Three thousand visitors from the U.S. according to my trusty visitor counter to the right...if I subtract the times that Ted and I have visited the blog, that means we hit 100!

The breakdown...as it were...

Monday...I assemble the storyboards for the "deleted scenes" sequence...

Tuesday...I work all day

Wed. Ted, Matt and I do the Commentary...

Thursday...I work all day

Friday...Ted and I finish the DVD compilation and we start making copies.

John Ladd is THE MAN!

I went to Studio M today to see if John could explain why the audio was so messed up...as in NOT THERE. Not only did he have the audio, but he did a back up (Thank God - because the Powers That Be wiped all of his lab computers of their memory). I am almost done with the final audio mix. We'll drop in the last of the narration on Saturday and then assemble the DVD.

happy new year

...the movie is almost done...

When does re-work become Lucasafucation?

During the premiere, I was a little disappointed at how some CG fire looked on the big screen. Ted did a bang-up job on the scene (which lasts a mere 4 seconds) but it looks a lot different on a large theater screen than on a TV screen. So we decided to actually reshoot the scene with actual fire. My buddy (and soon to be Grand-dad) Bob suggested that I was entering the Lucas phase of my film career rather early. I pointed out to him the Lucasafucation does not actually take place until AFTER the movie is released and accepted by the public. In a year, I can claim that I always wanted a prequel about the Garum before he became evil and that despite all previous interviews and blog posts, the movie was never about Gwen and her rise from lowly village dweller to Je- er, Caretaker, but was always meant as a series of 6 films intended to be the Tragedy of Darth Garum.

Still working on the proper spelling of Lucasafucation...

Thoughts, ideas?

I've been busy working on the audio...

...and am rather pleased with how it sounds now. I also moved three scenes to different locations in the movie and added a scene I had deleted earlier. There is also some added narration that we will record after Christmas and then...we assemble the DVD and YOU get to buy one.

Today was the day...

Last night I got three hours of sleep as I tried to complete the audio mix...difficult when the audio files are delivered so late...and several are missing...

I started off this evening with a slight disclaimer...I mentioned that there would be several audio drops and some missing scenes...I also mentioned that some tracks would be all-together gone or too quiet to hear...when you mix audio with head phones on it sounds a lot different than when the movie is shown in a theater setting...

As the lights dimmed and the movie started, all was well...then we had the first dialog track and it was almost impossible to hear...more problems followed...but I won't dwell on them...

As I cringed, fought off the urge to vomit and shifted uncomfortably in my seat for one hour and twenty two minutes...the 50-60 people watching the movie (the room held 70) seemed to actually enjoy the movie. Despite the horrible sound, the audience clapped as the credits rolled. The really applauded and it felt GREAT! Ted and I have some work to do to get it ready for the Dec. 25th release, but despite all of the many flaws I saw, the audience seemed entertained.

It was a great night!

I have a lot of hard working people to thank for getting this done.

And, on a side note...around about the same time that the credits rolled, our lead, Danielle Magner, (aka Gwen) gave birth to a baby girl!

TODAY IS THE DAY!

5 and a half hours to go.

Yesterday I worked from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on sound. I was putting ADR in, as Foley and Music were done some time ago. Unfortunately there were three folders with files that contained no actual dialog...we had to leave the original audio in for tonight's show, but we can get it fixed for the DVD. Ted and I made a few last minute editing decisions so the DVD will have about five extra minutes not seen in tonight's version.

In all, I am happy. I plan to take a week off from working on the DVD and then get back to the DVD package on the 21rst.

We have one day left to us to get it done...

...and there are major audio problems...sigh...looks like all of Saturday will be spent resolving the problems...

2 days left...

three days to go...

4 days left...

Credits are almost done...

5 more days...FIVE!

8 days to go!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRG!

No, I'll be fine...really.

DVD art sleeve insert

still needs some spell check and a few other things...but here is the rough...

count down...

...10 days to go.

the moth and lilly...

I wasn't going to post any more images because we are so close to showing the movie, but Ted did such a great job last night with this scene that I had to put it on the blog.

Michael +Matt+Allen+Ted=FLASHBACK

Michael Clark (international star of The Planet (PLANET X as it is known in Japan) and One Day Removals) did some fantastic CG work for us. Matt (President of the IPFW film club and world famous night clubber) shot some footage at Lakeside Rose Gardens). Allen (rumored child of Sasquatch) edited the scenes together. Ted (CG man and stand in for Brad Pitt) worked his magic and we have a beautiful flashback sequence!

advert...

Done editing!

Today I finished the FINAL BATTLE sequence between Gwen (shot two summers ago) and the Garum (shot a week or so ago in the studio at IPFW). All that is left is the rest of the effects that Ted is finishing up (he'll drop those into my edited sequences) and the dialog that Matt is finishing and the foley that I am working on and then the reintroduction of the soundtrack...that should only take a few minor tweaks and then we're good to go. Dec. 14 is rapidly approaching, but I have a great feeling about the finished product. It was nice to see the battle scene actually work and it looks nothing at all like I had envisioned or storyboarded three and a half years ago. Part of me is sad because I have been living this world of Darkness Aftermath for three and a half years now, but another part is excited and eager to see where the movie goes from here. I have had so many people involved in this dream...the magnitude of it is overwhelming. I used to hang out with some guys who always said, "we should make a movie" and then we wouldn't...now the new 'we' have made a movie. I'm rambling here, I know, but its a great feeling. I'm stoked! Friday Ted drops the MEGA LAPTOP off and I can put the music back in. That's when the dream really comes alive.

Why do I call this movie a dream? Glad I asked since none of you did...actually, I never gave you the chance, but if for some reason you were going to ask, now you don't have to because I did.

The DREAM: When I was ten, I saw Star Wars. Up until then all I had seen in the theater was Disney movies...not that there was anything wrong with that. I loved Herbie and the Apple Dumpling Gang and the animated shows...but Star Wars took my mind to a whole new level of thinking. Ever since then I wanted to make a feature length movie. A GOOD feature length movie. I think we have done just that. And honestly, I could not have done it alone. A wise man once said, "in order to be successful, you have to surround yourself with people who WANT to succeed and who are actually producing successful work!" Did that! Loved it! Thanks everyone for your help!

The movie release...

This post is for friends and family and IPFW students...the movie will be showing Dec. 14th in room 204 with props and artwork in room 205. The movie is aprox. one hour and thirty minutes with a question and answer afterward. We have 70 seats so it is a first come situation...

TODAY WAS A GREAT DAY...

Ted and I spent a few hours together working on the movie. Ted worked on the scenes with Lilly and the drifters perfecting the rain and doing sky replacement. He was rockin'. He's also working on some cool 'energy' that will hover about Lilly after her explosion. I edited the final conflict between Gwen and the Garum. It was difficult, but we were both quite pleased with the outcome.

The last time I'll say its a wrap re: Darkness Aftermath...

...I PROMISE! Ted and I shot the final footage. We shot the model of the GARUM in all his sticky, bleeding glory. We rigged a tub above the model (and when I say model, it is articulated) with holes in it so as to get rain. Behind the GARUM, we had some trees mounted to a board and behind that a large cloth with green, gray, blue and brown colors. It looked fantastic. We rigged lights for lightning and Ted ran those and the camera. I moved the beast and ran the rain. We shot it at 60 fps and it looks GREAT! Sorry, no photos...the footage looks WAY TOO COOL! (and I want it to be a surprise when we show the movie on December 14th.

Garum...

On Monday, we shoot the GARUM scenes...

John asks, "Is your movie cursed?"

Matt and Megan were over at Studio M doing ADR when all of a sudden EVERYTHING STOPPED WORKING!!! ARRRG!

Ted's blowin' up a drifter...low res...

SHOW TIME

Sunday - December 14th at 7:00 all members of the cast and crew are invited to IPFW (the lecture hall in the VCD building-second floor) to see the first showing of the completed version of DARKNESS AFTERMATH. There will be a question and answer time after the showing and the room across the hall from the 'lecture room' will host art work, costumes, story boards and props from the movie. We will then venture out to the world via NEFF HALL and CINEMA CENTER and film contests and festivals...

Ted keeps crankin'...

Ted's a workin'

Lilly fights back against the DRIFTERS!

The end is near...

The new and improved GARUM is 2/3rds done and should be ready for it's close up this next week. Ted has logged in claiming to have some SPFX done and Matt is scurrying to get the sound done...

On a lighter note, my boys and my dad enjoyed "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein". Tickets $20.00, pop corn and pop $22.00, the sound of my dad and my kids laughing PRICELESS!

Uh oh...just realized I hit 666 posts...cue the scary music...

Anyway...I got a call from Matt that he and the IPFW film club entered a 48 hr. movie contest...they were contacted with a list of 'stuff' to include in a movie as well as a genre and they had 48 hours to shoot it. Matt called at noon and informed me that it was a "thriller" and that he needed me to do a make up job on an actor who had been hit with a hammer...here is the result. I had about a half hour to get the job done...

Coolness!

Next Tuesday my father and brother (hopefully) and my two boys are going to Carmike Theater to see Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. I remember seeing it on ch 55 when I was a kid and my dad remembers seeing it at the theater.