Time for a bit of an update. Where are we now? I’m sitting here listening to the “Dark Knight” Soundtrack taking a break from editing. Yes, I like to take a break from editing so when I go back I have “fresh” eyes. So, given that I’m breaking, I thought I would give you some news.
Editing is going well. A few problems with sound and storage space, but that has been fixed. We bought over a terabyte of storage for our footage. We have a shit load and it takes almost all of that to house it. Well, not quite but it will.
The last time I edited a film, my hardware and software was adequate, but now it’s simply outdated. Blue, as my computer is called, is becoming a little long in the tooth when it comes to film editing, so plans are in store to replace him with a new rig and new software. Given my desire to make the best picture possible, this is the only way to go. Blue will still remain my primary computer, but I will have a new stand alone rig to edit on. It’s a much needed update. It will allow me to move faster and turn out a much better product. We have some great footage, so there is no reason not to try and give it the best treatment we can. Read the rest of this entry »
Been working hard at the editing gig. Eight scenes in rough edit stage right now. I will go through, sync sound, then edit at cuts and then start peicing the scene together how I like it and how it relates to the script as a whole. They are roughed right now becuase I will have to go back and look them over a few more times and make sure they flow with everything else. Then they have to be color corrected, sound fixed in spots, transitions put in, foley work, ADR and then, when that’s all done, it all has to be pulled in and filtered.
Then we have to work on titles and packaging. So we are a ways off from a completed product. Initially I was hoping for Janurary 2009, but it’s going to be summer before we see the goods. Dont’ be disgruntled, it happens. We have something very good here and there is no point in rushing through just to get it on the shelf. So we take our time and get it right.
A bit of an update for ya’. I was able to sit down edit the first scenes of the film together. It’s been a while since I’ve edited. You know, sit there and really think about how a scene is going to feel and play out as far as timing and pacing. I’ve done a little for some of the old footage we had, but didn’t really care if it was great. This time is much different.
The footage I’m working with I cut once when this started out as a series. It was not too difficult then, but but now it was. Not horribly so but difficult. I’m thinking feature film now and what that is all going to look like over a couple of hours. And one of the actors in the scene dropped out of the film early on with no word. So I had to edit with the idea of that actor not being there, and the replacement actually showing up in later scenes. It’s different. Much different. The timing is different. I used different takes and the music is timed out differently. I’ve even gone so far as to mark some of the dialogue for ADR.
I’m pretty happy with my first run at it. I will have to go back over it one more time to catch the small things that are inevitably missed when I first start the editing process.
We also have a great tune to use for the opening. I really like the song and can’t wait to see it on the big screen.
I will start on the next scene now and see what it’s going to take to get it cut together. I’m enjoying it so far and can’t wait to get it to a point where I can watch a rough cut.
As of this writing, I’m dumping the last of the footage for “Unearthed.” I’m finally going to get to editing proper. Cool fucking shit if you ask me. But we’ll see. The footage is good. There are some soft spots, but we’ll work through that stuff.
We have to do some very techinical stuff as well, but it’s all part of the game. We’ve moved a knotch in film making so tweaking the small stuff is important for me at this stage. I’ll have more on all this fucking shit later.
When we shot the movie, I had a rough idea of how much footage there was in hours. Well, I was fucking off a bit. There is a shit load of this stuff. I’ve dumped over eight hours of footage that will be cut down to a little over an hour or better. And it’s not a fast process. It’s real time so it dumps as it plays, no way to speed up the processes. I have to start a tape, set the titles and description and then play the tape and capture it, and then repeat the process over. It takes time. And I’m running out of room. I’m not quite half way done with the dumping, but I’m more than half way through my drive space. I see more drives in my future.
I will hit the half way mark very soon and when it’s all dumped I will sync the audio and get to the fun part: editing. Yeah, not editing footage together just yet; just in the dumping phase right now.
I can finally say that editing has begun. Aren’t you just fucking excited as hell?! I am. I’m dumping video now, and that will take a great while since there is so much. So be patient. I’ll keep you updated as we go along. So we’re moving forward.
As with all things in this world, nothing works out as you exactly planned. Life has a very usual way of stepping in and crushing your testicles. No, not even I am immune to this plague. We all must suffer through it. It sucks, but we drag our way, pull our way, muster our way through until we have completed our goal as closely to our original intent as possible. That is where we are at right now.
Do to that crazy thing called life, I haven’t been able to edit a damn second of the film. Fuck! JJ has gone to Italy and returned. Ellen is starting a new job. I Feel like a would rather be run over by a truck. Wait, that hasn’t changed. Anyway, you get the point, it hasn’t been started. Well, fuck life and it’s attempts to interrupt my goals, my dreams, my work. Fuck it all to Hell and back.
Editing is starting as soon as this article is written and posted on the website and MySpace. I will begin the arduous task of dumping and syncing. Yay! ME! But it’s a good thing, too. The final stage of the journey will be started and that means there will be and end to it. I’m stoked. Excited. Hard as a rock.
I think that about says it all. I was going to write something very long winded and exciting but there just isn’t anything to say. So that’s it. Bye, bye!
It’s not often that I get excited about a movie trailer, but now I’ve seen one that I like. It looks rather stunning and epic. The movie might end up sucking cocks, but the trailer is worth taking a look at. There is a lot going on with it, so you might want to watch it a couple of times to get the full effect. Now click play!
