The Movie is Done: Now on to Making a Movie!
Shooting has concluded on Notzilla, my second feature film as a writer-director (or, more accurately, principal photography has concluded). Does this mean we’ve “made a movie?” Far from it! Shooting a movie is more analogous to manufacturing parts. Based on a screenplay (the blueprint), “parts”—scenes and shots created by artists and technicians—are hammered and molded at various factories (locations and studio spaces). And then those parts are sent to an assembly plant where, in a much longer process (typically, three months to a year), they are assembled.
And that, dear friends, is where Editor Jim and I take over. Easy-peasy, right? Just attach part 326A to part 326B and repeat process until all parts are in place? Hardly! Because many of those parts will refuse to fit properly. Some will need to be re-shaped, re-honed and, if time and money allow, replaced. Which means doing “pick-up shots,” i.e. going back out and shooting or capturing images that better serve the story. But Notzilla is a low-budget indie, so we have limited pick-up funds. Instead, Jim and I, along with Sound Guy Tim, Composer Steve and others, will do all we can to make something beautiful—or at least funny—out of those sometimes beautiful, sometimes homely parts!
I’m over the 15 hours-a-day hump, but will still have limited blog time during the coming months, so I’ll be doing quickie posts like this one, weith more than tha narmol number of typows, but will still do my best to keep up on your comments and visit your blog sites, dear friends. Because, hey (cue Hollywood agent voice),
You know I love you, babes!
VERY exciting. Thanks for this “peek behind the curtain” of the process. Tres glamorous.
Anything but. Thanks, Russ!
I’m excited for you, Mitch. Thank you for keeping it’s posted!
And thank you for your ongoing support, Roo.
Awesome. Keep fighting the good fight!
I will. Thanks, Sean!
Best wishes on pulling everything together as you create awesome.
Thanks, Shirley!
Congrats on completing the filming! That is a huge accomplishment!
Thank you, Ann!
Even your “quickie posts” bring a huge smile and exemplify your fantastic sense of humor, Mitch! Congrats on making it over the hump! It’s going to be an awesome film, I know!! 🙂
Thanks, Lynn!
Wow. That was actually a lot quicker than I expected. I’ve always been told that filming has to be done months (if not years) in advance.
Hi, Lloyd. I’m not sure what you mean by “in advance,” but the time it takes to shoot a film (principal photography) varies: big budget features can take anywhere from several months to a year to shoot. But, for financial reasons, indies like Notzilla typically have short production times (we shot in 17 days).
Thanks brother. That’s exactly what I mean. <3
Yeah, babe. We know it too.
;>)
Interesting and funny!!!
Praying now for you and the time it takes to do it right!
Thanks, Gary.
You bet.
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