I just wanna shoot films

Updates and Progress…Obolo Films

OboloFilms — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:57:07 +0000

It’s been so long since I have written anything here. It seems like whenever I have a
project on my plate, it almost always crashes and burns. Having had the opportunity
to sit with Bret Ratner, I learned to always have 3 to 5 things on the agenda and throw them all against the wall and see what sticks.

Since Current TV picked up “10 Minute Date”, I have been hired to do another short
doc called “Big Sister” that I have completed and delivered. I will leave a link as soon
as I get the finished project uploaded. “10 Minute Date” and “Big Sister” will be airing on Current TV in August.

I have also been commissioned to do another short doc by Current TV called “For Richer
or For Poorer” (working title). I will be uploading the treatment and production notes in a week or so.

“No End: Short Story”

This is my first (real) production; it is a short film, with only ambient sound and no talking, about a woman who has a ritual that she does each and every day. My wife and I actually wrote the script, scouted locations and took photos, created a storyboard, a shot list, and a production schedule and financed the film.

The story takes place in the center of Paris in the Bois de Bologne, so I had to get ambient sound the night before because of high traffic. This short story is an exercise
in sound effects, sound and foley as well as shot selection and composition. Discipline and time management are also part of this production.

Finally

OboloFilms — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 13:22:09 +0000

I finished my first “real” project. “10 Minute Date” is edited and I have it on Ourstage.com for voting and I am also submitting it to some online film festivals, so we’ll see how I fare. You can watch it in its entirety here …vote if you get a chance. I’m reading on the site that the voting can’t be rigged, so we will see.

Not much voting really going on, so I’m going to post this in a few more places. I’m on to the next project. In my opinion, you can’t fall in love with a film. You have to plan it, shoot it, edit it, and then let it go and move on.

When I talked to Bret Ratner, he told me to have at least 3 to 4 projects on the table at any given time. Throw it against the wall and see what sticks.

…Obolo

Trailer Done

OboloFilms — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:28:24 +0000

I finished the teaser for 10 Minute date its posted on the film page. I should have it edited in the next week or so. Im not hapy with the amount of b-roll I have at all so I have a sneaking suspision I will be shooting some more this week. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist in my own little world, I know as soon as I get it finished someone else would look at the film and say they would have done things differently. Then Im sure movies would never get done! Ill keep you posted.

OBOLO

Big Narstie Video (Hello Hi)

OboloFilms — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:36:09 +0000

Ive been working on this video for that last few days. Its not much in the way of videos to be honest but it does show the quality of the Canon XH A1. I used the multiclip function in Final Cut Pro and I can tell you that without that video editing would be a drag! Its a total life saver. I will have a rough cut uploaded for viewing tonight and hopefully the final cut by the weekend.

I have tons of music videos under my belt but this was the first with the Canon XH A1 and Final Cut Pro, A very nice combo! Ill be also working of the “Making of” video and uploading stills of the shoot. This shoot had to be the biggest cluster f–k I have ever seen. Unorganized and the producers had no respect for the filmmaking process at all, In the end we hashed it all out and have a much better understanding of one another and I look forward to working with them real soon.

10 Minute Date

OboloFilms — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:38:15 +0000

10 Minute Date is an in-depth look at an international call girl from the USA currently working in London. In this short documentary is everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask. The film goes into detail about what she does, who she does it with, and why she does it.

The principle photography is complete. I will be logging and capturing this week and will begin the editing phase this weekend. I know this is an off-color subject, but it’s something I am passionate about…street life! I came from the streets, and even though I don’t have to live like that anymore, I feel like others can benefit from learning about what goes on. Having a basic understanding is a good start to maybe helping someone you know get off the streets.

Ok what do I want to shoot?

OboloFilms — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:40:38 +0000

I have so many things I would like to shoot, and really I don’t have a clue on what I should do. There are so many things I am passionate about, but I get stuck thinking, “No one else wants to hear about that”, or I look at what someone else has done and say to myself, “that’s an interesting story…why didn’t I think of that?” So I have thought about it and I think I should go with what I know.

That’s when “Lords of London” came to life. I am from L.A., but I have been living in Europe for the last 2 years, and London is where I am at the moment. When I call back home, my friends ask me “what’s it like there?” “do they smoke weed?” or “do they fix up their cars?” Since then I have done a couple of music videos with these guys and I see that they think just like any other “broke folks on a come up”…GET MONEY! That’s what it all boils down to in the end.

So I don’t care if it makes it to Sundance or any other festival. That’s what I’m shooting and I’m stickin’ to it!

What’s in the Bag?

OboloFilms — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:26:53 +0000

Here is a list of whats in my Camera bag and what I use to do my thang!

Camera

Nikon D80
Nikon D200
Canon HV 20 (pick up shots)
Canon XH A1
Letus Extreme 35 mm Adapter

Audio

Rhode shotgun mic with boom
Sennheiser Evolution G2 wireless system
2 wireless lavaliere lapel mics

Lighting

2 1k redheads
3 china balls
assorted colored lights
the sun

Camera Stabilization

Glidecam
DIY skate wheel dolly with PVC Tracks
Manfrotto sticks and 503 fluid head
My arms

Lenses

Nikon 50 mm 1.8
Nikon 10.5 Fisheye
Nikon 100 mm 2.8
Nikon 12-24 mm 2.8
Nikon 200 mm 2.8

Editing System

Apple MacBook Pro 17″
Final Cut Pro Studio 2
Shake 4.1
1 500 gb Seagate Hard Drive
1 320 gb Lacie Hard Drive

I had to buy the HV20 as a deck for my XH A1. I’m having it repaired as soon as I can bring myself to let it out of my sight for the 7 to 10 day period they said they would need to fix my firewire card. I couldn’t capture anything to Final Cut Pro, so I was going to buy a dv deck (3 grand) when the guy at the camera shop told me that I could use this small HD camera (500 bucks) so I saved some money and got an awesome camera for pick up shots!

Hello World is Right!

OboloFilms — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:09:14 +0000

I always like to leave the Hello World title on my first post because it fits so well. I’m writing this blog to keep up with my activities. I have read other blogs and they are so helpful, so as I move on with my filmmaking, I hope I can help others out and gather more information as I grow. At the moment, I will post some shorts I have done

as basic film student projects. I don’t have a background in film, so it’s all hit and miss for now. I have read many books and spent countless hours on the internet reading all kinds of opinions on the subject of “to go or not to go” and I have made my choice. Instead of spending money on school, I have decided to spend my money on my tools! I recently met with a guy that had been through 2 years of film school. First thing I noticed is that he didn’t even have a simple Sony Handycam or even a Video Phone. He had no Mac Book Pro for editing, Not even a PC Laptop…NOTHING, NADA, ZILCH!

I let this guy come with me on a video shoot thinking maybe I might need this cat…Hmmmph, NOT! He totally blew chunks! sucked big time! I was soooo disappointed, and at that point I realized I was worried about nothing and if anyone would be to blame for screwing up this video, it would be me! So the hell with film school! When I shoot a movie I want people to say “That’s an Obolo film” not “Oh, that looks just like every-other-guy-that-went-to-film-school’s flick”. Ok, end of rant…

So, like I have said, what you see here is me honing my skills and learning the craft. Help is always welcome and all questions will be answered if you have any.