Editing with voice over and subtitles...

Takes a long time. Not to mention cutting the footage, putting in music, credits, and even a still frame (oh my!).

But the director (Lawrence) has said it's where he wants it, and the co-editor (me) is happy with it, and so it will go up in the wee hours of the morning.

Look for Post No Bills II, coming soon to a monitor near you.

Could it be? Lawrence's Directing Debut?

Say it ain't so...Eric hands over the reins to the second installment of Post No Bills to Lawrence who has some ideas about how he wants (Eric) to shoot it.

In other words, I'll be DP-ing this one.

Which seems a bit strange, since I can't even spell cinematography.

Never mind, it appears that I can.

The Cost of Shorts (Short Films, that is)

This follow up to Lights, Camera...all Cost Money is just to help keep track of the cost of this "project." It looks like after ten weeks, that cost is $59.

From before:
$8 - chips, salsa, cups, soda (for Foot in the Mouth)
$15 - Big-ass Clamp-Light + 200w light bulb (so far, only used on Rock Star)

New Costs:

$26 - Six Blank Mini-DV cassettes.
$10 - One year domain registration for www.shortaweekproject.com

That's right, we've got a domain. Worth it.

Next on the list: Microphone, microphone, microphone...

And

A place to take donations. Seriously.

A Short About Shorts, Sher-lick Holmes, and more..

Time to plan ahead. Future Short Ideas:

-Post No Bills 2 (Lawrence's version if he sends me something soon; the original plan if not)
-A short about shorts
-Sher-lick Holmes: A short about a detective who uses his tongue to detect
-A short acting out the article Flip-a-Towel while it's read in voice-over...in Spanish! (j/k)
-Short Documentary on the 99 with voice-over commentary
-A Chinese instructional video about Americans (In Mandarin. Seriously.)

Larger Projects in development (in code, so you don't STEAL the ideas)
-Survival Vid (5 parts)
-Anti-Stereo (at least 5 parts)
-Chair in There (1 part)

Of course, we're open to ideas. We'll even give you credit.

I know Brian Hurley is thinking really hard about his "massage" short right now. Thanks Brian.

Week 10 - The Nigerian Banker

"The Nigerian Banker"

The Nigerian Banker - The Making of a Short Film

Last minute change of plans had me writing a short at 7:30 pm on a Thursday night, and filming it an hour later. Some highlights from the 45 min shoot.

(L = Lawrence, Me = Me)

L: Ooh, looks like a film set in here.
Me: Without the good lighting and expensive film equipment.

Me: Is this side table close enough?
L: How about I just put the coffee cup next to me on the couch, since there is nothing in it anyway.
Me: That will work.

Me: Cut.
L: I messed that up again, huh?
Me: This is not only the more important line, but it's the only line I really care about. You can mess up all the other lines in the script, but this one has to be right.
L: Thanks for not being dramatic.

---
Thanks to my girlfriend for the idea of using the Nigerian Internet scam in this obvious sequel to Not a Girl. Hey, when you're pressed for time, return to what you know.

Holy crap we have to post something by tomorrow morning

And we have nothing filmed...

Was out of town last weekend. Then last night Lawrence said he could meet around 11:30PM to shoot the sequel to "Post No Bills." So I got to my girlfriend's apartment.

Then at 9 he says that 10 or 10:30 is good. Then at 9:45 it turns out he meant more 10 than 10:30. I'm on my way to meet when he calls again:

Me: What's up, man? Can you shoot at 10:30?
L: I guess-
Me: You got something to do afterwards?
L: Yeah.
Me: Oh.

[Pause]

In the pause I'm thinking how I haven't printed out the props that he's going to need for this week's "Post No Bills," and more importantly, I haven't planned out the shots. There is no way it can be done in less than an hour.

Me: Wanna shoot tomorrow night?
L: Sure.

Now tomorrow night is tonight, and I'm thinking some advanced planning might save on editing time. We shall see.

A secret about The Short-a-Week Project

I, Alien was actually our first short.

It just took a long time to edit.

Thus, Not a Girl went up first.

Did you know that?

Of Mice and Men and Masterpieces

Yeah, a bit premature.  But, hey, if this blog is suddenly about quoting people I've never HEARD OF then, well, I guess there's nothing premature about me.  

Nothing.

While we (E) may seem stressed out, please know that there is no stress here (my place) 

I don't have to type "shortaweekproject.blogspot.com" to get here anymore, I just google "Canon zr50 MC"

Zing!

p.s. Yes I've seen Leaving Las Vegas, I just didn't know that the person who directed it had a name, that's all.

Quote from Mike Figgis

"...too much information and too much choice is in itself a huge limitation on creativity."

-Mike Figgis (Director Leaving Las Vegas) in his new-ish book, Digital Filmmaking.