Blocking out the first two episodes of "Unforgotten"

Walking into the set was a great feeling. We were moving forward with the Web Series we started so long ago. With two weeks till we start shooting it was a critical part that had to be done.

We started going over shots and immediately fell in love with the surrounding area. Our DP JD came up with some great shots and told us how we should move to make the series seem real. We went over the beginning scenes and moved on.

At the next location we practiced bounding and figured out the shots. This scene will have to be precisely done to make it look real. When we figured out this scene we moved on to the last location.

This location was were the characters would be doing some of there best stunt work. The training had to be right so everything can move smoothly and no one gets hurt.

With the day ending we stopped at a Taco Bell and had lunch and ironed out the rest of our schedule. More to come on "Unforgotten" in the near future so stay tuned.

Scheduling without a budget

One of the hardest things for an independent film company to do is scheduling, especially with no budget. When everyone is working for free you have to work around everyone's schedule. You have to try and match 7 to 10 people's schedules, almost impossible. You have to be able to flow with the hassles of jobs and trips that crew or actors have taken. It can be very complicating, but there are ways to lower the possibility of conflicts in scheduling.

First, try to know before you write your script whether you will have a budget or not. This will help you write to fit your budget and help you be realistic about finishing your film. If you have a limited budget you can write the story to have minimal characters and also try to use the crew members as actors too. By doing this you can limit your crew and cast to 3 to 4 people. Easing scheduling problems.

Another way to eliminate problems with scheduling is to make the scenes in the script have minimal characters in the same scene and make sure your shots are simple, no elaborate set ups. Instead concentrate on the angles and motion of the camera. Concentrate on the acting and getting great sound. So many film makers concentrate to much on special affects and forget about the core of a film; acting, lighting, and sound!

A great story is founded on concentrating on the interaction between characters, the way they evolve as they go through the film. When you make a script more simple and concentrate on theses elements not only do you help with future problems with scheduling but also create a story people will want to watch for years to come.

The Title of our New Web Series!

Coming up with a title for anything is very hard. If you get it wrong It ruins how people will perceive the whole series. You have to make sure that the title reflects what happens in the series. You have to capture the true essence of the story and relay it all in one to three words. It has to be something memorable and catchy so people feel the need to tell others about it.

So it is with great pride that we announce the official title of our new Web Series; "Unforgotten".

The Agents meet! "Redemption"

We started to set up for the scene today and fast realized that getting it dark enough for the scene was going to be hard. We started by just closing the blinds but that wasn't enough, we had light leaking in everywhere! We blocked the light from the blinds with a flex fill and then the door windows with towels, taped up with electrical tape. A lot of electrical tape!

The next challenge was creating a harsh enough light so that the actors were only lit from one side. We didn't have much to work with but we ended up just using a desk lamp. It worked nicely and the shots came out very dramatic. We had the ISO and F stop way down on the camera.

When JD Rodriguez showed up we started blocking through his scenes. He did amazing. Then Ian Askew showed up and we officially started blocking both characters. We went through the lines multiple times and ironed out all the character's mannerisms. When we started the shooting both actors were very comfortable with their parts.

The shots came out great and the acting was amazing. We can't wait to see all this footage in post production edit! We have one scene left to shoot and then it's a wrap for the films shooting!

Shooting "Redemption" with NO Budget

When we started the pre-production for "Redemption" we knew we would have no budget. This obviously caused quite a few hurdles for us. We had to find people that would be willing to work for nothing but the joy of film making. The main concern was going to be finding people who knew what they were doing who would want to dedicate their time for free. This was the first task in front of us to even get this film off the ground.

We started by putting out adds on craigslist and at the local College for crew and cast. We got lucky because one of the first people to show up was Ian Askew. He is a brilliant actor who played agent 2 in the film. He had a great audition creating the character that you will see in the film. He nailed it right away. The next man to audition was JD Rodriguez. He had just come from Puerto Rico and was trying to make a name for himself in America. He auditioned for Agent 1 and was perfect for the part. As he went through the audition though we found out more about him and found out he did camera as well. He fast became the DP for the movie as well.

The last person who became a key part of the film was the leading lady, but we found her the opposite way. Stefany Mayz is a very talented singer/song writer and when we approached her about writing the soundtrack for "Redemption" she was very excited. We met up with her and went over the script with her and told her were we wanted the background music. As she read over the script we realized she was an amazing actress, we asked Stefany her background in acting and it came as no surprise when she told us she had been acting since she was young. With a rich background in acting and a great ability to write music she was on the crew quick.

Shooting "Redemption" With no budget has been fun as well as challenging. We have had great help from very talented people and have been lucky enough to see the film all the way through without sacrificing anything in the process. We truly believe that when "Redemption" premieres you will be truly amazed.
  

Redemption shoot 12/15/12

When we arrived on set it was raining, always a good sign. But by the time we were done setting up it stopped. We were supposed to be shooting one of the final scenes of the movie, but the cage in which the lead actress was supposed to be was gone. So we had to move on to the one other scene of the day, the grave scene!

The grave scene Had to be re-written so it was all a surprise for the actors. They did well though falling into character again as if they never had a year and a half between shoots. The shots turned out great.

Tuesday we will be shooting the next part of the final scenes. It will be one of the key scenes of the film so make sure you tune In for live updates!