Pivots and Shields

Greetings, one and all! Well, this week we had to make a pivot. After assessing all the performances of the people we’ve tried out thus far, we realized that we’d run out of time to bring everyone up to spec for the major roles before shooting was due to start. So now we’re shifting focus to team development. In short, we plan to run different exercises to teach the theater backgrounds how to interact for the camera. We’re also expanding the stunt work overview to prepare our new stunties for our Plan B. Namely, we’re currently developing a short script to shoot this summer that focuses on using everyone we currently have, as sort of a shakedown cruise, to familiarize everyone with the process before we do anything larger.

While most of the week was plan revision and script development, Sunday the team met again, and ran through precision exercises, followed by learning the use of the sword and shield.

It comes to mind that this is probably the first time I’ve taught this art since my shoulder injury, which explains why it’s now killing me. For all that, they’re learning quickly, and just have to develop the static strength that’s so important to shield use.

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

Weights and Readings

Greetings, one and all! This week saw a lot of troubleshooting and mod engineering. Specifically, we worked through how to give the proper weight to sidearm props, some of which have already been “finished” (in the sense of assembly and painting). We’ve figured out the inexpensive solution to the weight problem, namely rebar down the barrels, but which adhesive to use so that we can get it down the barrel without significant loss on the way in? That’s… still in progress.

Next up, we worked on new prop designs, chiefly figuring out what the in-universe computers and flashlights will look like, and how we can make them out of random junk from our own collections and the local thrift stores. Lastly, we did a couple more readings, and reviewed all of the major performances to date.

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

Laying Track and Acting Casualties

Greetings, one and all! So we started this week with finishing off the music for yet another block of the film, which meant that the next thing I had to do was render out more reference edits for the next block of composing. After that we had a micro production meeting, this one about post production, and how to streamline it. This conversation put me in the mind, so next up we did an effects shot breakdown. This took a lot longer than I was expecting, but in the end we had a pretty good idea of the work ahead of us.

After that we scheduled some followup readings, and ran one of them before the end of blog week. Next up, we bit the bullet and did some supply runs, preparing for the next stage of prop creation. Along with this, we’ve been working on the pouches for some of our characters and extras.

Last up, the stunt team met again, and continued with the theme of last week, this time focusing on weapons injuries. Then we brought all of their training together by having them choreograph a short fight scene where they die at the end. After all that, we gave them the 101 on the use of the single sword.

This was the first week where I finally planned enough material to cover the full session and keep up with their rate of learning. It’s exhausting, but fun.

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

Expanding Sets and Expanding Skills

Greetings, one and all! Well, we opened up this week with building another wall, and doing material prep for the next two, which we then completed the next day, bringing our wall tally up to four. Next up will be a wall or two with a door, and then hopefully some supporting columns to provide some interest and definition to the set. Figuring out how to do all that with the materials at hand… that will be the real challenge.

The later part of the week hosted yet another reading, followed by a spot of leatherwork, and some performance analysis to see who fits with what roles the best, if any. On top of that, the week hosted two more composing sessions, which brings us up to 80-85 percent completion on yet another block of the film.

Lastly, the team met again and reviewed parrying, then dove into training the new stunties in the fine art of taking a hit for the camera.

They learned all this quickly enough that we then filled in the rest of the time with teaching a basic throw in longsword plays.

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

On Walls and Sharp Pointy Objects

Greetings, one and all! While last week was mostly paperwork, this week was decidedly… not. We opened the week with organizing salvaged wood, closely followed by seizing the brief warm weather to paint the next batch of prop weapons, as well as touch up one from the previous batch.
After that, we jumped into planning and building the first wall for our modular sci-fi colony sets. This we managed using exclusively materials that were acquired for the Nine Isles projects, mostly material from the tavern set, but with some of the leftovers from the office, as well. Now that the system for the first wall has been developed, hopefully the next few will go much more quickly.

Next up, we had to divert from that project to meet with some fellow filmmakers and potential actors from up north. This was a “third time’s the charm” scenario, As we have attempted this twice already since New Year’s, with everything from a nasty flu to a missing man getting in the way. But we made it this time, read them for a few parts, then gave a quick Swordplay 101 to see how fast they picked it up, before once more going our separate ways.

Lastly, the team met Sunday, and downpour notwithstanding, we launched into a review of the new trainee’s previous instruction, quickly followed by thrusts and parrying. All this was capped off by a brief exercise in tactical thinking, where our new stunties got to experience 2v1 combat for the first time, with some terrain added for good measure.

All in all a busy and productive week, leading to a very tired Monday when I’m writing this. Hopefully I’ll recover in time to do something useful.

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