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!

Reflection, Revision, and Rain

Greetings, one and all! The admittedly dubious perk of getting sick and having it hang on longer than usual is it forces you to slow down and reflect. The chief thing it made me realize was that, while the script we have is solid, it still lacks a certain kick, the pulp serial cover moment that makes someone go “I need to find out what’s happening there.” We have the concept that makes this story unique, but it’s a bit buried under the mystery, so we need to bring it more to the fore, and give it some more screen time. To that end I’ve begun another edit pass on the script, focusing on how to give the thing a better visual hook for the promotional materials.

Next up, we begun work on one of the ships for a battle sequence in the film, though I’m still deciding if I like what’s been done, so far. It’s supposed to be the primary combat vessel for a mining conglomerate, so I’m trying to decide if it looks the part.

Last but not least, the stunt team met again under the pouring rain to train in a few of the arts that require less linear space. Namely falling, rolling, and some more short sword work.

Progress on the first two elements was quick, but the short sword requires more technical finesse, so that proceeded at a much more normal rate. All in all, a good and productive day.

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

Stunties in Motion

Greetings, one and all! So, by the time I finished writing the last blog, half the team had woken up sick. While it’s still better than last year, where we were sick literally every month, this one has clung on more than most. So we managed to squeeze in one music session before everyone crashed, but then we dedicated the rest of the week to recovery, doing it just in time for stunt meet.

We brought the rest of the newest team members up to speed on the short sword work we did last week, before teaching them moving in character, and with intent.

We ran the gamut of attitudes and characters, from goblin to overlord, elf to thug, we put them through the paces, ending with an exercise where we had them simply move from point A to point B with different characters and motivation. All in all, a pretty entertaining day.

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