Into the New Year

Greetings, one and all! Turns out there was a modest bit of work that was completed before the Christmas mini-break. We managed to get in another music session, for starters. Next up, scene breakdowns for the new version of the script, so now we know who is supposed to be where and when, along with what else needs to be there.

The last big project before things got really crazy was working on modifying the light props that will be used in one major sequence, trying to get them to look more appropriate to the universe.

We also celebrated a birthday, and the decorations provided us with the best opportunity for pictures that are in theme with the nerdiness of what we do around here, so I’ll give you a sampling…

Also, more important to the work, but less eye-catching for the blog preview, here's a picture of one of the work in progress lights... 

Now that the holiday has ended, our minds turn to both the normal life issues that had to be put on hold, as well as casting for the next project. Hopefully some progress will be made in that field in the next few weeks. Next week will also mark the return of the stunt team, so we look forward to that with great anticipation.

Well, that’s about all for this week. Until next time!

On the Eve of Christmas

Greetings, one and all! Even with the preparations for the Christmas celebration ramping up, and most of us still being sick, we still managed to get a remarkable amount of work done. First off, we managed to nail down the music for a couple scenes in Block 9. Next up, the revised script was reviewed in its entirety, notes were given, and another pass was made, which includes writing a completely new scene, and rewriting another to eliminate the vestiges of earlier rewrites, and refocus things back onto the main character motivations.

On top of that, after a lot of props experimentation, we made good progress in crafting the stunt version of a worn prop, so that we hopefully won’t replay the disaster of the Stormborn shoot, where a similar prop got torn up, and had to be superglued together in the middle of a shoot, when the actor fell repeatedly during the final fight scene.

Here’s a look at it mid-process, beside the original prop from one of our shorts. With the fast motion of action scenes, small discrepancies are less likely to be noticed, however things like shape and position of elements are vital, as well as anything that's going to cast shadow or bounce a highlight, as those will read far more in the moment.

Between the writing, music, and prop work, we stayed quite busy. We’ll have a few more days between writing and when this blog will be released on Christmas Eve, so hopefully we’ll make some good progress before the extended weekend.

Well, that’s about all for this week. Until next time, wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

Impact of the Week

Greetings, one and all! So… We all suddenly got sick this week. Despite that, and some extensive non-filmmaking life demands, we still managed to do some music, get in some script tweaks, and finish a couple more props, specifically the staff weapons mentioned last week.

Sunday saw the last stunt meet before Christmas break, where the team opened with a 101 class on using blunt impact weapons, (there seems to be a theme this week,) followed by developing a bit of a brawling scene, utilizing clubs, short staves, and… other things.

This was then followed up by a half session on quarterstaff technique that we attempted to squeeze in before things got really dark outside.

Well, that’s about all for this week. Until next time!

Assorted Props and Team Festivities

Greetings, one and all! This week we opened with a couple music sessions, which we pulled off despite people starting to get sick. This was followed up by work on several props, including making the lenses for one of the advanced binoculars, and shaping the parts for two of the staff weapons. More research has also been done for a more efficient way to make and tint the buttons and lights for the spaceship sets.

On a shinier note, the beauty blade for one of our characters has been completed, and the lacquer finally dried, so here’s a picture of it beside its stunt version.

Probably one of our better cross-material replications, if I do say so myself.

Lastly, the team met again Sunday for our annual Christmas party, in which we eat snacks and play an improv game for several hours. This year they spent their entire session escaping from the prison cells beneath the halls of one of the most powerful guilds in the setting. Hilarity ensued as the thief they were incarcerated with tried to do what thieves do, and pin it all on them. Well, I say "entire session", but it did get capped off with dragon riders and evil bureaucrats, so... good times.

Well, that’s about all for this week. Until next time!

 

The Labors of Thanksgiving Week

Greetings, one and all! As this was a holiday week, things were rather chaotic around here. Despite that, we still managed to squeeze in two music sessions, as well as do some prop preparation and experimentation. There was mostly a lot of research being done for the next items on the docket. At the beginning of the week, one of the first props that we could order in also arrived, with some materials for models being due in sometime in the next week.

There were also some developments in the next phase of presenting what we do to people, but the results are still in limbo, save to say that the first meeting went fairly well.

Last up, a slightly smaller group met on Sunday, and focused on learning some dagger plays, followed by the application of that knowledge in brief choreography bouts.

All in all, they learned their lessons well, and the fights were as fluid and energetic as you’d hope they would be.

Well, that’s about all for this week. Until next time!

Prop Processes and Proper Puppeteering

 Greetings, one and all! This week was a chaotic ball of random stuff, but we still managed to get a fair amount done. First off, we squeezed in a music session before things got really chaotic, and followed that up with a fairly successful shopping trip to find the materials we’d need for the next phase of prop-making.

Small arms for the security forces are back in the works, with a third prop having to undergo some modifications due to damage. On top of that, by the time you’re reading this, the beauty blade should finally be finished, and I must say it’s shaping up to be quite beautiful indeed, with a simple sort of elegance.

Lastly, the team met again on Sunday, and hid away from the rain whilst doing some entertaining puppeteer exercises, where the veterans gave directions to the less experienced members, before turning it around, and having the less experienced guide the more experienced. This was then followed up by the stunties deciding to start a last man standing exercise in easy striking distance of each other. The results were predictable, and the fights brief. 

All in all, it was a quite funny time. “I am in a horrible position.” “You’re in a great position!” Was a conversation that was heard multiple times in the first hour.

Well, that’s about all for this week. Until next time!

Blades in Progress

Greetings, one and all! This week saw a continuation of the work from last week. The ship model saw some more progress, though I’m seeing the virtues of sheet styrene, and wishing it weren’t quite so expensive. Also music has made good progress again this week. On top of that, the script has received its notes, and we’re now going through the next wave of revisions.

A production highlight of the week has to be the fact that we’re now working on the metal “beauty blade” for one of our characters. This is the weapon intended for close-ups, while the plastic ones we finished previously are intended for the fast-paced combat scenes.

Lastly, the team met again this week, and took on some of the choreography for the fight scenes added in the revised script.

We closed it out with an old school exercise in a very tight space. All in all, a good and productive week.

Well, that’s about all for this week. Until next time!

Models and Mass Chaos

Greetings, one and all! I’m happy to report that the first draft of the script rewrite has been completed, and delivered to the readers for assessment and commentary. As of writing the notes should be in my inbox, so I’ll be working through those this week.

Next up, we got in two music sessions this week, which managed to take a reasonable bite out of the remaining work. On top of that, we’ve begun work on the ship model I mentioned last week. The slightly more complex geometry does mean we have to work on it bit by bit, and not make all the patterns at once. But for all that, good progress has been made.

Lastly, the stunt team met again, and this time opened with some footwork exercises, before going into a choreography exercise, where the fight was all vs. all, but they were limited to two strikes at a person before they had to switch targets.

This led to the desired level of chaos and frantic action, without it accidentally becoming two parallel duels. So, another effectively mind-stretching exercise for the stunties. All in all, a solid week of progress, despite its seemingly random nature.

Well, that's about all for this week. Until next time!

Multiple Modifications and Mirrored Minds

Greetings, one and all! This week saw an array of developments in writing, music, and design. First off, yet more revisions to the script were made, including the removal of a scene added during the rewrite, and transferring the relevant information to another scene. On top of that, we’ve been experimenting with a few other new scenes, but none of them have had the needed punch. However, now we more or less know what’s needed, it just the execution that’s a bit challenging.

Continuing on to music, after review on other sound systems, we punched up the third quarter of the big fight scene in Block 8, before returning to Block 9 and covering almost two and a half minutes out of twelve, so good progress, thus far. Next up, an evening stroll led to inspiration for a better ship design for our leads in this next project, so some time was devoted to putting that down on paper.

Lastly, the stunt team met again, this time with a veteran who is on a bit of a long holiday break. We opened with precision striking drills, then ended with an exercise in mirrored thinking, where the stunties choreograph a fight, and then repeat it, whilst playing each other’s roles.

It was a surprisingly effective exercise, as even the veterans had to wrap their heads around being the other person directly after playing their own role.

Well, that’s about all for this week. Until next time!

Musical Milestones and Textual Transformation

Greetings, one and all! This week was host to an important musical milestone, namely the completion of Block 8, and the beginning of Block 9! While we still have to go back and do all the tavern music in three different sections, this is still a huge accomplishment after the many weeks spent working on the big fight scene. To quote Alyssa, doing a simple office scene after the time spent on a very complex fight scene feels like going back in time.

Next up, the script has gone through its first heavy rewrite, with many things removed or altered, and now I need to decide if there’s anything that needs to be added, be they character beats, or something that emphasizes the overarching plot. On top of that, the credits sequence for the Nine Isles project has been compiled, and is now in the midst of formatting and speed tests.
Lastly, the team met again Sunday, and this time focused on the finer points of unarmed combat, from striking technique, to a good block or parry.

After many absences due to illness or other things, it’s good to have everyone together again.

Well, that’s about all for this week. Until next time!

Rewrites and Refinements

Greetings, one and all! Despite some non-film life interruptions, we still managed to get a music session in this week, hopefully rounding off the fight scene.
The bulk of the rest of the week was some heavy script editing, and I do mean heavy. Most of the first ten or so pages of the script was totally rewritten, and it looks like something similar is about to happen after page 20. This was a major inflection point in the plot that already had about seventeen different iterations, but the decisions made back then still didn’t lead to a punchy enough dramatic change of fortunes (and in one case a character introduction). So it’s back to the drawing board, where I must carefully reshape all the plot connections to make sure someone’s scheme actually makes sense, and the response is at least equally as effective.

Sunday the team met again, and this time opened with some precision drills, before hiding from the rain and finishing up with some short choreography.

All in all, good progress was made, and I think that their technique is definitely improving.

Well, that’s about all for this week. Until next time!