Hi you guys!
What's been going on lately you ask? Here's the latest:
We had Thanksgiving. It was....nice. Just the regular old reuniting with family and devouring of tasty turkey in all it's American virtue. Nothing wrong with that.
Since the last time I blogged, we have encountered some interesting set backs. We were nearly finished with filming, and that is still the case. We only inch closer because of some scheduling concerns, a new flashback scene that was written and shot, a reshoot, and we had a fundraiser event that we had to plan and execute. However, the good news is we REALLY are almost done! Weeeee!
Scheduling--always a problem when we fall behind schedule and have to arrange meetings and other people (extras) with our own personal conflicts.
New scene--had to rewrite, schedule, confirm the location, and of course shoot. It is complete as of this week, though. And it is ADORBS.... The scene helps to establish the history of two characters in more depth and highlight some other points made throughout the present day storyline (ex: Dave's mother and how he is affected by her). When you decide to add a scene to a script that has already been rewritten about a bazillion times there is a lot of questioning whether or not it is really necessary. The reasoning behind this new scene is simply because we have analyzed the footage and script and felt that in order for you (the audience) to really understand the relationship between two of the main characters (Dave and Lydia) it had to happen. Another factor in deciding to greenlight the scene was that the plot takes place over a week and on one of the days of that week there was a gap in flashback scenes which are needed to provide some important background information. And there it is. You have a new scene. I wish I could be more specific, but I don't want to spoil the story for you!
Reshoot--We had to cut down one of the scenes and re-worked some dialogue so it was more conducive to the flow of the story. Simple enough, but time consuming.
Fundraiser--so much fun! We had a fundraiser at one of the locations where we shot a couple scenes, Deer Park Irish Pub. The owner, Tony Henry, has been a strong supporter of the film and we cannot thank him enough! We were able to bring in a karaoke setup and have a contest. We also made a special menu for the evening. We didn't make as much as we had originally hoped for, but every bit counts. And, besides, it was a blast hanging out with cast, crew, friends, and family in a less filmic environment! The grand prize winner of the karaoke contest walked away with an Android Pad! Second and third place singers also walked away with some gift certificates and goodies. I wish I could have won! Thanks to all those who came out and donated some money! You are the best.
So, there you have it. That's what's been going on lately with East of Nowhere and Knew Frame Productions. How have you been?
Friday, December 3, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/knewframe/east-of-nowhere/posts
New Video up on Kickstarter. Doug Bolton, who plays Marlon in the film, talks about his character and getting to do things on film you can't do in the real world.
To watch the video go to:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/knewframe/east-of-nowhere/posts
Song in this video: "In a Lonely Place" by Somnambulist Red
www.myspace.com/somnambulistred
Sunday, November 7, 2010
New Video Up
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/knewframe/east-of-nowhere/posts/37586
New Video Up...Click on the link above to see the 1st in our series of cast interviews from "East of Nowhere"
Sunday, October 31, 2010
New Kickstarter Promotion up!!!
Hey everyone,
Go to the link below to see the 1st Teaser for the film:
Also, help this movie make it to festivals by donating on the site...every little bit helps, (seriously you could buy a $5 Subway sandwich for the price it would cost to help the movie out) ... and you'll get swag....
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Winding Down
Hello All,
Nichole (Co-Director, DP) here. I would like to say a few words...
So we are in October. Mid-October. Could someone please tell me where September went? Seems like I missed her in passing. Anyway... Yes. We are in Mid-October and that means we are almost done with the production phase of East of Nowhere.
I know we are all eager for the next phase, which is post-production (which includes the editing process). However, we aren't quite there just yet. As the producers and I configured yesterday, we will be wrapping principal photography in the first couple weeks of November. It's an exciting feeling to be on the last lap of the race but also, for me, kind of sad. I love the production process. I love being on set. I can't say enough about the devotion, hardwork, creativity, morale, and overall performance of the crew and cast on set. They have dealt with the few hiccups we have encountered in production with positivity and stride. I really feel so lucky and blessed to have found this group of people. As we told all of them in the beginning, this was more or less a volunteer type production. We knew going into it that we wouldn't be able to provide compensation immediately. And I really wish we could. They deserve it. Truly. So, because they have been so helpful, gracious, and willing despite being unpaid it makes it that much more meaningful. So to my cast and crew members for their "HIGH SPIRITS EVERYBODY!"---Thank you.
Aww. Cutesy.
Now....what does this mean for the audience? I can tell you that the hardwork of the cast and crew will not be in vain. It will, most assuredly, show in the final product. The raw footage has often been above and beyond what was expected. And that is because of them. So, audience, you will know at the end credits that each and every person's name that scrolls was dedicated to this story and this project. We want you to be inundated with emotion as the scenes progress throughout the picture. Our ultimate goal is you. It is to tell you this story. To let you know these characters. Let you relate. Let you understand them and, hopefully, in turn, understand us all.
I watched two big-budget Hollywood films the other night that just made my night. The first one was mediocre. Entertaining, I suppose. Really, for me, it ended up being a great comparison to the second one. The first film had poor writing and the characters were dry and underdeveloped. The main character really struggled, which was good, but she didn't get very far by the end.
The second film's story quality and writing structure was so much more thought out and revealing. It made me think. It made me want to understand the struggles the characters were feeling and it forced me to analyze my own life. Was I naive and narrow-minded as that woman? Or, why do we as a society allow these norms and not others? Does that make our lives more enriched?
In East of Nowhere we want you, the audience, to also think, feel, and believe as deeply as your subconscious (or conscious) thought will take you. That's what film is about. Story. Life. Struggle. Understanding. Meaning. Being. That's what we are striving so hard for with this film and I truly think it will show in the final product and hope you, the audience, will be able to see that and appreciate it for what it is.
Nichole (Co-Director, DP) here. I would like to say a few words...
So we are in October. Mid-October. Could someone please tell me where September went? Seems like I missed her in passing. Anyway... Yes. We are in Mid-October and that means we are almost done with the production phase of East of Nowhere.
I know we are all eager for the next phase, which is post-production (which includes the editing process). However, we aren't quite there just yet. As the producers and I configured yesterday, we will be wrapping principal photography in the first couple weeks of November. It's an exciting feeling to be on the last lap of the race but also, for me, kind of sad. I love the production process. I love being on set. I can't say enough about the devotion, hardwork, creativity, morale, and overall performance of the crew and cast on set. They have dealt with the few hiccups we have encountered in production with positivity and stride. I really feel so lucky and blessed to have found this group of people. As we told all of them in the beginning, this was more or less a volunteer type production. We knew going into it that we wouldn't be able to provide compensation immediately. And I really wish we could. They deserve it. Truly. So, because they have been so helpful, gracious, and willing despite being unpaid it makes it that much more meaningful. So to my cast and crew members for their "HIGH SPIRITS EVERYBODY!"---Thank you.
Aww. Cutesy.
Now....what does this mean for the audience? I can tell you that the hardwork of the cast and crew will not be in vain. It will, most assuredly, show in the final product. The raw footage has often been above and beyond what was expected. And that is because of them. So, audience, you will know at the end credits that each and every person's name that scrolls was dedicated to this story and this project. We want you to be inundated with emotion as the scenes progress throughout the picture. Our ultimate goal is you. It is to tell you this story. To let you know these characters. Let you relate. Let you understand them and, hopefully, in turn, understand us all.
I watched two big-budget Hollywood films the other night that just made my night. The first one was mediocre. Entertaining, I suppose. Really, for me, it ended up being a great comparison to the second one. The first film had poor writing and the characters were dry and underdeveloped. The main character really struggled, which was good, but she didn't get very far by the end.
The second film's story quality and writing structure was so much more thought out and revealing. It made me think. It made me want to understand the struggles the characters were feeling and it forced me to analyze my own life. Was I naive and narrow-minded as that woman? Or, why do we as a society allow these norms and not others? Does that make our lives more enriched?
In East of Nowhere we want you, the audience, to also think, feel, and believe as deeply as your subconscious (or conscious) thought will take you. That's what film is about. Story. Life. Struggle. Understanding. Meaning. Being. That's what we are striving so hard for with this film and I truly think it will show in the final product and hope you, the audience, will be able to see that and appreciate it for what it is.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Through the DP's Lens, Part II
Oh hi.
Well. We had another shoot on Thursday night that proved successful, despite some minor setbacks. Time is never on our side. Especially mine...but that's a whole other blog....
Let me tell you about this last shoot. We had a bonfire scene in a remote, country setting. The weather turned out great! Kudos to Ms. Mother Nature. Also, we found a handful of extras that were more than willing to be cooperative and stick it out even though we were behind schedule. For that, I thank every single one of them.
But--here's what I really want to get off my chest--the single take in which we had to capture a baseball bat breaking a car tail light was so intense! I'll be straightforward here. I was nervous. First off, it's my fellow director and good friend's car so that was enough to be nervous. Secondly, anytime you have a one-shot deal there is pressure. There are just so many variables that could factor at any moment to make it go wrong! However, despite the looming variables, the single take was taken with excellence. I was physically behind the camera (hand held) for this take, and I literally jumped up and down after it was done. (This is a common occurrence for me, though.) I felt exuberant and exhausted all at once.
So, if you are wondering at all how something like that can be pulled off without 8 separate cars and multiple camera angles, here is our dirty little secret--confidence. We had no choice but to find it within ourselves (actors, directors, camera operators, boom op, etc) to know we had to get the take that time and we would do it. Yes, we had takes before the 'break take' so we all knew the movement and timing of the scene, but there is still a lot riding on one take. We took a deep breath and said, "Ok, we can do this." And, sure enough, we did it. :)
Well. We had another shoot on Thursday night that proved successful, despite some minor setbacks. Time is never on our side. Especially mine...but that's a whole other blog....
Let me tell you about this last shoot. We had a bonfire scene in a remote, country setting. The weather turned out great! Kudos to Ms. Mother Nature. Also, we found a handful of extras that were more than willing to be cooperative and stick it out even though we were behind schedule. For that, I thank every single one of them.
But--here's what I really want to get off my chest--the single take in which we had to capture a baseball bat breaking a car tail light was so intense! I'll be straightforward here. I was nervous. First off, it's my fellow director and good friend's car so that was enough to be nervous. Secondly, anytime you have a one-shot deal there is pressure. There are just so many variables that could factor at any moment to make it go wrong! However, despite the looming variables, the single take was taken with excellence. I was physically behind the camera (hand held) for this take, and I literally jumped up and down after it was done. (This is a common occurrence for me, though.) I felt exuberant and exhausted all at once.
So, if you are wondering at all how something like that can be pulled off without 8 separate cars and multiple camera angles, here is our dirty little secret--confidence. We had no choice but to find it within ourselves (actors, directors, camera operators, boom op, etc) to know we had to get the take that time and we would do it. Yes, we had takes before the 'break take' so we all knew the movement and timing of the scene, but there is still a lot riding on one take. We took a deep breath and said, "Ok, we can do this." And, sure enough, we did it. :)
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Through the DP's Lens....
Through the DP's Lens... Nichole's part of the Blog.
If anyone is interested in a bit more technical perspective on this film I can fill ya in here!
So... our style and look of East of Nowhere was discussed many, many drafts ago. And our running theme? "Dirty Pretty." Let me explain this oxymoron.... We, the filmmakers, have drawn upon our own lives and those around us to create this story. And as we discovered, we are united in our experiences with small town life and its unique inhabitants. I am not saying we dislike our upbringings or the people involved. But-- Quite often, we believe, that within these small towns there is this odd contrast of beauty and beast. In its people, in its atmosphere, and in its beliefs. Our aim for this film, then, is to capture that contrast and deliver it on screen. We want the audience to identify with it, analyze it, and understand it.
Therefore, as a Producer, casting the right people who could market this look was important. And I feel like we found a STELLAR cast. They're looks were naturally what we wanted and we developed what we needed to completely get them "dirty pretty" via costumes and hair/makeup. They are all good lookin kids, but it's not always what's on the outside that counts you know. So their performances would have to convey that contrast that I have mentioned. And, well, we have had our jaws drop to the floor some days on set. They are all pretty damn good actors :)
Also, as Director of Photography, trying to find the balance between the natural, almost mundane look of a small midwestern town but still having interesting visuals to keep the audience's interest has been challenging. A fun challenge. But a challenge. So...as DP I've been working closely with the Director to come up with engaging shots so that the audience is pulled into the story, but never noticing you are in a story. Thus, we have been keeping takes longer, using handheld movements (or using our new Fig Rig, which as been great fun to use--THANK YOU to all who donated on Kickstarter.com to help us fund that piece of equipment and others), and trying to keep scene changes unnoticed and fluid.
So...this might help you understand a little bit about where we, the filmmakers, are coming from on the other side of the camera. It's not just pointing and shooting with a cool camera to us. It gets pretty involved and we are very serious about it. I'll keep you posted with more as I continue on.... Let me know what you think and if you have questions!! :)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
Nichole Root
If anyone is interested in a bit more technical perspective on this film I can fill ya in here!
So... our style and look of East of Nowhere was discussed many, many drafts ago. And our running theme? "Dirty Pretty." Let me explain this oxymoron.... We, the filmmakers, have drawn upon our own lives and those around us to create this story. And as we discovered, we are united in our experiences with small town life and its unique inhabitants. I am not saying we dislike our upbringings or the people involved. But-- Quite often, we believe, that within these small towns there is this odd contrast of beauty and beast. In its people, in its atmosphere, and in its beliefs. Our aim for this film, then, is to capture that contrast and deliver it on screen. We want the audience to identify with it, analyze it, and understand it.
Therefore, as a Producer, casting the right people who could market this look was important. And I feel like we found a STELLAR cast. They're looks were naturally what we wanted and we developed what we needed to completely get them "dirty pretty" via costumes and hair/makeup. They are all good lookin kids, but it's not always what's on the outside that counts you know. So their performances would have to convey that contrast that I have mentioned. And, well, we have had our jaws drop to the floor some days on set. They are all pretty damn good actors :)
Also, as Director of Photography, trying to find the balance between the natural, almost mundane look of a small midwestern town but still having interesting visuals to keep the audience's interest has been challenging. A fun challenge. But a challenge. So...as DP I've been working closely with the Director to come up with engaging shots so that the audience is pulled into the story, but never noticing you are in a story. Thus, we have been keeping takes longer, using handheld movements (or using our new Fig Rig, which as been great fun to use--THANK YOU to all who donated on Kickstarter.com to help us fund that piece of equipment and others), and trying to keep scene changes unnoticed and fluid.
So...this might help you understand a little bit about where we, the filmmakers, are coming from on the other side of the camera. It's not just pointing and shooting with a cool camera to us. It gets pretty involved and we are very serious about it. I'll keep you posted with more as I continue on.... Let me know what you think and if you have questions!! :)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
Nichole Root
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Shots from the film
Based on a collection of true stories from the filmmakers themselves, the film delves deep into the emptiness felt by all of its characters. The small unnamed town where the film is set is much like one you'd find anywhere in the heart of middle america, if you looked hard enough. Unlike the usual portrayal of small towns in cinema, "East of Nowhere" focuses on the archaic nature of such a town and its inhabitants where even those with the brightest of ambitions find no way out and how people surrounded by nothingness and the lack of chaos can pit themselves against each other and create their own chaos.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Independent filmmakers bring you the darker side of small town life
Set in a small Midwestern town, East of Nowhere is the story of 5 disillusioned young adults struggling to find their way in an environment of apathy, violence, drugs, and disaffection.
5 years ago, a tragic accident changed the lives of Deacon and his friends forever. Now, Deacon returns to his hometown from Los Angeles and is immediately thrown back into the world he tried so hard to escape. His best friend Marlon has fallen deeper into a lifestyle filled with random acts of violence, substance abuse, and criminal behavior and he is all too willing to bring Deacon into that lifestyle.
After renewing his relationship with his old friend Julian and his younger sister Missy, Deacon meets Lydia and soon realizes that Marlon's influence has begun to dangerously impact her life and her relationship with her boyfriend Dave. Everyone's lives begin to spiral out of control when they realize they can't forget their troubled pasts, they can't escape the bleak present, and the future seems to hold no place for them.
5 years ago, a tragic accident changed the lives of Deacon and his friends forever. Now, Deacon returns to his hometown from Los Angeles and is immediately thrown back into the world he tried so hard to escape. His best friend Marlon has fallen deeper into a lifestyle filled with random acts of violence, substance abuse, and criminal behavior and he is all too willing to bring Deacon into that lifestyle.
After renewing his relationship with his old friend Julian and his younger sister Missy, Deacon meets Lydia and soon realizes that Marlon's influence has begun to dangerously impact her life and her relationship with her boyfriend Dave. Everyone's lives begin to spiral out of control when they realize they can't forget their troubled pasts, they can't escape the bleak present, and the future seems to hold no place for them.
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