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July/August2010 V. 25 |No. May/June2010 • •V. 25 |No. 3 3
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VFX in TV
Break Through Locations, Locations, Locations Plus: Location Gallery Music & Sound Guide Eye on Indie Films Spotlight: Northeast
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Film • Video • Animation • Audio • Locations • People
July/August 2010 Volume 25, Number 4
contents w w w. m a r k e e m a g . c o m
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features 10 Locations, Locations, Locations By Brigitte Marie Clifton
16 Locations Gallery 17 Music & Sound Guide VFX in TV Series
24 CSI and Warehouse 13 Wow Viewers By Christine Bunish
30 Eye on Independent Films By Mark R. Smith and Christine Bunish
Spotlight – Northeast
34 Fine-tuning Production’s Economic Engine By Mark R. Smith
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Markee2.0
Film • Video • Animation • Audio • Locations • People
Markee 2.0 is a results-driven magazine that has been published since December 1985. A nationwide survey of film and video industry professionals revealed that Markee 2.0 is at the top of their must-read list.
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Editorially, Markee 2.0 offers a wide range of content tailored for its diverse readership. Features span film and video production and postproduction topics to include must-read interviews with leaders in the creative community, the latest equipment and technology news, perspectives on innovative independent filmmaking, and in-the-trenches reports on shooters, editors, animators and audio pros – plus regularlyscheduled specialty supplements. Markee 2.0’s seasoned writers know the industry inside-out. That’s what makes Markee 2.0 compelling, informative and timely reading.
www.markeemag.com
columns & departments 4
Editor’s Note
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Making TV – The Final Home Run Moving Hank Aaron’s childhood home, transforming it into a museum and making a television show about it By Michael Fickes
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Making Commercials – Ohio Lottery Steals the Scene A fun, stylish commercial re-makes Tom Cruise’s famous vault break-in from Mission Impossible By Michael Fickes
On the cover: Zoic Studios just won an Emmy Award for the ‘frozen moment’ sequence it created to open season 10 of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
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45 Newsroom 48 Inside View – STEELE studios’ Jo Steele By Christine Bunish
www.markeemag.com
July/August 2010
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from the editor
Markee2.0
Film • Video • Animation • Audio • Locations • People
| by Christine Bunish
www.markeemag.com
Unconventional Characters Not every character in a movie or TV show is an actor. In this issue, Markee 2.0 reports how locations from coast to coast play the role of characters in broadcast and cable series from the critically-acclaimed Treme to the hot, new Hawaii Five-0. VFX in two top-rated series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (congratulations to Zoic Studios for its recent Emmy win for CSI) and Warehouse 13, also act as characters supporting strong storylines. Markee showcases seven independent features, short films and documentaries in this issue, with filmmakers putting the focus on people and storytelling. The Northeast Spotlight details how production tax incentives have stacked up feature and TV credits for the region. Don’t forget to archive the handy Music & Sound Guide, see how STEELE studios spent its summer in Inside View, and check out Making TV and Making Commercials where a baseball legend and a tongue-in-cheek heist are central characters in an episode of a long-running show and a clever state lottery spot. [Correction] On page 18 of the May/June issue’s Stock Footage feature the caption for the smallest photo at top should have been identified as Global ImageWorks’ HD aerial of Antwerp for the FOX series, Human Target. Our apologies to Global ImageWorks and Framepool.
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Remembering Wes Skiles The preeminent underwater photographer, explorer and filmmaker Wes Skiles died July 21 on a routine dive off the eastern coast of Florida after finishing an assignment for National Geographic. Wes was CEO of Karst Productions, Inc. in High Springs, Florida and appeared in the pages of Markee a number of times. At the time of his death, Wes was excited about the August issue of National Geographic Magazine that features his photos of Bahamas Blue Holes in a story on the islands’ cave diving and on the cover. A memorial service and celebration of Wes’s life was held at Ginnie Springs, an apt venue for a man who had been a tireless advocate for springs, springsheds and the conservation and protection of Florida’s water resources.
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• Original Music for Spots, TV and Features • Equipment Portfolio
IN EVERY ISSUE: Making TV • Making Commercials • Newsroom • Inside View
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Disclaimer – The statements and opinions in the articles of this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lionheart Publishing, Inc. or the editorial staff of Markee 2.0 or any sponsoring organization. The appearance of advertisements in this magazine is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised.
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making TV
Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford | By Michael Fickes
The Final Home Run Moving Hank Aaron’s childhood home to Hank Aaron Stadium, transforming it into a museum and making a television show about it. It was an irresistible project for Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford. Shoot a television show about moving Henry “Hank” Aaron’s childhood home from a residential section of Mobile, Alabama to Hank Aaron Stadium, home of the minor league Mobile BayBears, where it would be transformed into a museum celebrating Aaron’s achievements. The show’s three-person crew was assigned the project, which, by the time of the museum’s grand opening, had become a national sports story. After all, Hank Aaron was the first slugger to break Babe Ruth’s career home run record and, according to Sporting News, the fifth-greatest baseball player of all time. The shoot proved long and complicated thanks to the fact that the work was done entirely by volunteers who, having to attend to their day jobs first, largely set their own work schedules. “As a result, the shoot stretched out over 19 months,” says Scott Gardner, a director with Mobile-based 3 Echoes Productions (www.3echoesproductions.com), a full-service production company that specializes in short and longform projects of all kinds. “We first shot the house in October of 2008, and we shot the grand opening this past April.” The lengthy shoot began with a specialist’s removal of the brick veneer — which turned out to be made of asbestos — that covered up the original front of the house. “On this project — and on many of our shoots — we often had to move quickly and to improvise,” says Gardner who calls the shoot “guerrilla” style. After several false starts by the house mover, for instance, all of a sudden the project was a ‘go.’ 6
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[Above] The restored house/museum in its new location at Hank Aaron Stadium.
[Inset] Archival shot of the Hank Aaron house featuring the brick façade added later.
Gardner, DP Brad Rodgers and producer Allen Lyle hustled to the site, checked camera angles and discussed possibilities. “On a shoot, we all function as lighting techs, audio techs and grips,” Gardner says. “If we need a second camera for a scene — to get reactions, for instance — I’ll pick up the 2nd unit camera and operate it.” Rodgers documented the contractor threading steel I-beams under the house and the process of lifting the house with hydraulic jacks. Once the house was high enough, the contractor placed dollies underneath the Ibeams, hooked up a truck tractor and set off, with the police, city street department and utility company blaz-
ing a trail through traffic, removing any street signs in the way and dealing with power lines obstructing progress from above. Scenes and shots were often inspired on the fly. For instance, before the house started on its journey, Gardner had a brainstorm. “A utility worker responsible for preventing the house from hitting power lines had been assigned to watch the move from a bucket truck high above the street,” he recalls. “We gave him a preset Sony HDR-HC1 camera and told him to press the red button when he had a clear view of the house.” Gardner positioned another HDRHC1 HD Handycam on the street so
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[Above] The brick-veneer façade of the house was removed prior to relocation.
[Left] Hank Aaron gives Danny Lipford a tour of the house/museum as DP Brad Rodgers records the scene.
[Below Left] Wrapped and ready to go, the house joins the flow of traffic on its journey to the ballpark.
that it could shoot up at the truck tractor and house passing over it. The high shots from the bucket truck didn’t make the cut, but the low shots of the truck and house rumbling over the camera did make the show. While the HDR-HC1 was inexpensive enough to risk being dropped from a bucket truck or run over by a truck, Rodgers shot with the production company’s primary camera, a Sony PDW-F335 XDCAM HD camcorder, usually mounted atop his shoulder. If a second camera was needed, Gardner operated a Sony PMW-EX3 XDCAM EX camcorder. Rodgers used a Fujinon 13 X 3.3 wide-angle lens which worked “well in confined spaces inside a house being renovated,” Gardner says. “The downside was that cables and lights sometimes inadvertently got into the shots. We fixed those problems in post.” While most of the lighting for this and other Today’s Homeowner shoots comes www.markeemag.com
from available light, Gardner carries soft, fluorescent Kino-Flo lights tuned to a properly warm color temperature. “These lights are a real help on construction sites,” he says. “Construction sites typically have temporary power poles with two 20 amp [circuit] breakers that prevent you from drawing too much power. We used to run 2,000watt tungsten lights that will pull 16 to 18 amps. That plus the construction equipment often tripped a 20-amp breaker. “By contrast, the Kino-Flo lights produce an equal amount of light with 3 or 4 amps. So we can plug in a couple of KinoFlos on a single circuit. The 2,000-watt lights each needed a separate circuit.” The grand opening of the museum made national sports news and attracted 50 television and newspaper crews, says Gardner. All of the ENG media teams except 3 Echoes Productions had to rely on a single news feed. But 3 Echoes had its own mic at the podium and its own
camera trained on the action. Gardner, Rodgers and Lyle enjoyed the idea that the national news teams were likely asking themselves, “Who are those guys?” At the end of the 19-month shoot, the production company got its reward. Gardner, Rodgers, Lyle and Danny Lipford had front-row seats at the grand opening to watch Reggie Jackson, Willie Mays, Ozzie Smith and other baseball greats talk about Hank Aaron. And the day after, with no other media present, Aaron did a one-on-one, on-camera interview with Lipford and escorted him and the 3 Echoes crew through his childhood home-turnedmuseum. Scenes of the grand opening and interview anchor the episode, “Homecoming for Hank: Moving Henry Aaron’s Childhood Home.” Hank Aaron might not have thought of the interview as a home run. But if you’re a baseball fan and watch the interview, you’ll see that Today’s Homeowner knocked one out of the park. To watch “Homecoming for Hank,” go to www.dannylipford.com. Click on videos, then episode 720 under Season 12 (2009-2010). July/August 2010
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making Commercials
Ohio Lottery | By Michael Fickes
Ohio Lottery Steals The Scene In a fun, stylish commercial, the Ohio Lottery re-makes Tom Cruise’s famous vault break-in from Mission Impossible Remember the Mission Impossible scene in which Tom Cruise breaks into a CIA vault by diving from the ceiling wearing a harness? “Heist,” a 30-second commercial for the Ohio Lottery from Northlich/Cincinnati, re-created the famous sequence — with a few variations — for less than $100,000, a pretty good price in this day and age. The intruder in this spot is a beautiful blonde thief, and the target is a Diamond Dazzler scratch-off lottery card guarded by a secure laser net capable of detecting any movement on the floor of the museum. The shoot posed several challenges that Zack Resnicoff, a director, cinematographer and writer from New York City and Los Angeles (www.zackresnicoff.com), and DP Jeff Barklage of Cincinnati-based Barklage Cinematography (www.barklage.com) worked out during preproduction. The spot was produced by Deborah Price at The PPS Group in Covington, Kentucky. (Watch the spot in “Gallery” at www.cinbb.org.)
Head First First, the spot required a robust physical effort from the talented and agile
actress who wore a special harness to dive from a stained-glass ceiling high above the floor of the Carnegie Arts Center in Covington. Since the Arts Center could only schedule one nine-hour day for the shoot and to limit the discomfort for the actress, Resnicoff and Barklage tried to minimize the number of dives she had to make by shooting with two RED One cameras outfitted with Cooke prime and zoom lenses. Barklage ran a camera from a platform up near the stained-glass ceiling, and Resnicoff operated the other on the museum floor. “Even with the two cameras, we needed 18 takes,” Barklage recalls, and the actress felt the physical stress. The spot opens as the thief, clad in a black body suit, dives headfirst toward the museum floor from the stained-glass rotunda high above. The
actress wore a Hong Kong harness, which enabled her to alter her position from upside down to prone to straight up simply by bobbing her head. The upper camera shot a lot of the initial dive footage using a Fisher dolly with a sliding glide mount that enabled the camera to slide four feet beyond the platform’s railing and capture dramatic shots straight down.
[Above] The actress performing the “Heist” is suspended from the rotunda of the Carnegie Arts Center. Photo by: Bob Gerding/©PPS Group
[Left] DP Jeff Barklage (left) and director Zack Resnicoff shooting “Heist.” Photo by: Bob Gerding/©PPS Group
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[Top Left] A vertiginous plunge from the museum rotunda.
[Bottom Left] The thief prepares to break into the Diamond Dazzler display.
A cable from a motorized reel on a platform high up in the rotunda connected to the harness and lowered the actress to within inches of the floor. In the spot, her head bounces to a stop just above the laser net surrounding the display that houses the lottery card. She raises her head, swivels into a prone position and proceeds to cut a circle of glass from the case. “We used two pieces of Plexiglas: One was solid and one had a hole in it,” Barklage explains. “During a cut, we replaced the solid piece, and it looked as if she had cut out a circular piece of glass.” In a brief, playful scene, the scene shifts to peer over a security officer’s shoulder at a bank of monitors. Just to the left of the monitor the guard happens to be examining, viewers can see the thief suspended beside the lottery card’s display case. As the officer shifts his head to look at the monitor with her image, the system switches to another view and she disappears. “We shot the various views www.markeemag.com
for the security monitors against greenscreen and keyed them into the scene during post,” notes Barklage.
Lighting Effects Shine After pretending to cut the glass, the thief pauses to admire the lottery card which Barklage lit using marine batteries connected to an inverter powering two 120-volt halogen display lamps. A shiny metallic coating on the Diamond Dazzler card reflects the light and gives the impression of a jewel reflecting light from its facets. Finally, she reaches in and takes the card. With a bob of her head, she swivels until she is vertical with her head down, presses a button on her belt and begins to ascend. About half-way up, she stops. Still hanging upside down, she can’t resist taking a coin and scratching off the lottery card. When she discovers her winnings, she raises her eyebrows in a one-two move made funnier by her upside-down position. But then she drops the coin. The alarm goes off, and the commercial
ends. Viewers are left to wonder whether or not she escaped with her illgotten gains. While the agency insisted on a daytime shoot to save money, the museum didn’t want its windows blacked out. Fortunately, one of the walls in the chamber had no windows, and that became the background wall. Nevertheless, light still poured in from the stained-glass ceiling at the top of the dome. “We put three crew members on the roof with an assortment of 20x20-foot silks, nets and solid materials,” Barklage reports. “They used the fabrics to control the light coming in. The day was cloudy at times and sunny at times, and we had to constantly change the fabrics. When a cloudbank approached, they would radio me. I used a spot meter to check the change and radioed instructions to them.” For the interior lighting, Barklage supplemented existing tungsten lighting with additional tungsten fixtures to give the warm, golden interior palette characteristic of an older museum. The network of purplish-pink laser beams protecting the floor of the museum was added in post, but to facilitate the animation Barklage ordered a gel that matched the laser color and blasted the floor around the display case with purplish-pink lights. “After the lasers were drawn in, it looked like the practical lighting was emanating from the lasers,” he explains. Preston Price of The PPS Group edited the spot and created the laser effects with Adobe After Effects. Apart from the laser net, every effect in the spot was done in-camera and done quickly — like a thief stealing a lottery ticket in the middle of the night. July/August 2010
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LOCATIONS,
LOCATIONS, LOCATIONS BY BRIGITTE MARIE CLIFTON
Although many TV series rarely venture beyond their Hollywood soundstages, these shows rely on very different locales to make their series shine.
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New Orleans Lends Authenticity to Treme Although New Orleans has served as a colorful backdrop for many productions, the results have often felt inauthentic. But authenticity was paramount to Treme creators David Simon and Eric Overmyer in telling the story of how some New Orleanians held on to their traditions and rebuilt their lives after Hurricane Katrina and the levee failure in 2005. Locations, in this case, were the story. Named for the Faubourg Tremé, the historic neighborhood where jazz was born, the acclaimed HBO series is set throughout New Orleans. Even four years after the storm, shooting in the real places so utterly transformed in Katrina’s aftermath was a delicate dance, with the pain still very fresh for the area’s residents and the scars readily evident on neighborhoods working to restore their proud structures. Treme’s storyline begins only a month after the storm and moves forward in time. Depicting those early days when neighborhoods were still muddied and abandoned proved surprisingly difficult. Locations supervisor and New Orleanian Virginia McCollam was “hard pressed to find a full block where no one had returned to live.” After two or three empty homes in a row, she would find “a rose garden in front of a freshly-painted clapboard home. While it made the location search more difficult, it was uplifting for me,” she says. So, for early episodes, the locations crew had to recreate the devastation with street debris, mud, silt and fire damage. The production worked carefully with residents to lessen the emotional impact and inconvenience of the experience, and in the end, the honesty of the depiction of New Orleans won the residents over: The city departments and the New Orleans Office of Film and Video were very helpful in smoothing the way, McCollam reports. With 20-30 locations required for each episode, her team had to work fast to find locations that communicated the city, script and mood of each scene. She credits their success to the culture of the city and her two locations teams, made up of hard-working and resourceful professionals with great local outreach – everyone seemed to know someone who could help. Some location finds were sheer luck. McCollam describes driving around with her team after a bar location had fallen through when they came across a “strange house — a raised cottage with the door to the basement missing.” They discovered an old speak-easy “with exquisite textures and wonderful architectural detail just there, just waiting like someone put down their glass and walked out and never came back.” That interior was used as the very first shot of the pilot. Respect for people and places was a recurring concern illustrated best, perhaps, by a scene in an early episode shot in the 9th Ward, a neighborhood particularly devastated by the levee break where “you see a lot of front stairs that end in thin air,” says McCollam. After the Mardi Gras Indian chief character, Albert Lambreaux, discovers a lost tribe member’s body under a boat in the backyard of the victim’s own home, the tribe holds a ceremony for him in front of the house. A tour bus comes by, camera flashes going off behind its tinted windows as indistinguishable tourists “document” the ritual. McCollam was utterly aware of the difficult line between “bearing witness to a devastating event and rubbernecking,” she says. To get permission to shoot the scene, the location team tracked down the homeowner who now www.markeemag.com
[Above] Treme’s LaDonna (Khandi Alexander) in front of her bar in Central City. Photo by: HBO/Skip Bolen
[Below] 9th Ward ritual for a fallen warrior in Treme. Photo by: HBO/Paul Schiraldi
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Locations, Locations, Locations
lived in a room across the river where he kept two suitcases packed ready to go back home when he could. It is this unpacking that Treme seeks to exemplify in its meticulouslyresearched locations throughout New Orleans. If a real business was to be used as a shooting location, much research went into confirming that it was, indeed, open at that point in the timeline of the show. Although only those intimate with New Orleans in the months after Katrina may notice such “seemingly insignificant markers,” McCollam says those types of accuracies were intrinsic to capturing the true feel of the city and its story. “The characters, the story and the location all need to make sense to each other, and then hopefully translate to the viewer in Iowa.”
Refreshing the Big Apple for White Collar
[Above] New York City is the backdrop for reformed thief-turned-FBI-associate Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) in the sophisticated series, White Collar.
[Below] Scouting the historic Williamburgh Savings Bank Tower in Fort Greene, Brooklyn which doubled for the Midtown Mutual Bank in an episode of White Collar. Photo by: Michael Grosky
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With a stylish series set in slick, upper-crust locales, one would think the location managers for USA Network’s hit White Collar would have it made. But even the iconic Big Apple has its shooting challenges. The first obstacle for location manager Tyson Bidner was the show’s premise. “When we were just starting last season, we were an FBI heist show shooting in old money New York City mansions and beach houses right after the Bernie Madoff situation,” he points out. “So people were more resistant to opening their homes to a film crew.” Now in its second season, however, more New Yorkers are familiar with the bright, feel-good tone of this crime-fighting series, and access has become a little easier. The second challenge is not relying on the same New York City corners and interiors viewers have seen so often. “People have been shooting in New York for 100 years,” says Bidner. “When you find something that’s new and exciting, you want to break the mold and bring in that location.” With typically only six days between receiving the script to shooting, Bidner has accumulated a library of photos and notes on possible locations. One such venue ended up on this season’s opener — the landmark Wiliamsburgh Savings Bank Tower in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, with its barrel vault ceiling and patterned marble floors, turned out to be ideal for the fictitious Midtown Mutual Bank. Bidner was familiar with the building because he’d been to flea markets in the area on Sundays and had filed away images and mental notes. Many finds are word of mouth, says Bidner, as “this job allows you to be in places I wouldn’t be able to get to on my own.” Access to elite penthouses and mansions is part of the job. The skyscraper interior with a view of Lower Manhattan that served as an interrogation room in this season’s opener was actually a high-security federal office building on Broadway. Another special-access location for a first season chase scene was Rockefeller Center’s rooftop gardens. “These were the private gardens of company executives for many years,” says Bidner, “and we got access. It was a phenomenal location with this very different perspective of the city that people had not seen before.” For future episodes, Bidner has his eye on the High Line, a park area above the train tracks that have recently been opened up for use. “We’ve been tripping on top of each other to get to film there,” he says of himself and his fellow NYC location managers. Beyond giving viewers new perspectives on the city, Bidner enjoys shooting in New York because Film • Video • Animation • Audio • Locations • People
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of its classic appeal and the variety of old and new architecture and mix of business, retail and living space. Of course, the city is known for its film-friendliness, too. “The city has [production] streamlined, and they make it easy and hasslefree,” he says. And New Yorkers are accustomed to film crews. “They complain about us taking their parking, but nothing impresses them. Don’t try to stop them on their way to work, because they’re not going to stop and watch the production; they’re just going to keep on going.”
Portland Offers Versatility to Leverage After a successful first season, TNT’s Leverage moved its production from LA to Portland, Oregon in 2009, partly because of production incentives as well as the help offered by the Portland Mayor’s Office and state and local government, says Electric Entertainment’s Rachel Olschan. But what has kept the show in Portland for its third season is the city’s charm and versatility. “Portland is a small town at heart, with everything that a big city has to offer,” she says. Unlike New Orleans for Treme and New York City for White Collar, Portland is less a character in Leverage and more of a driver for all the locations called for by the script. Because of its chameleon-like diversity, the city has doubled for places in Massachusetts, Nebraska, Tennessee, West Virginia, Washington, D.C. and even London and Ukraine. “We have been fortunate that we’ve been able to come up with the various looks required for the show,” says locations manager Don Baldwin. In addition to the talents of art director, Bekka Melino, and set decorator, Jenelle Giordano, “who provide a lot of the details that help sell a particular location as being somewhere other than Portland,” he cites the “array of architectural styles” and accessibility granted by government officials as essential tools in creating the necessary looks. The City of Portland Mayor’s Office has dedicated a full-time film and video liaison, Michael Fine, to help productions with coordination and permitting, which has proved indispensable. “We were a little apprehensive last season when we got the script for ‘The Zanzibar Marketplace Job’ and all of the locations were in Eastern Europe,” Baldwin admits, “but it worked out well.” Sometimes the challenge for transporting a scene to another state or country lies not in what is within the frame, but what is left out. “When we were doubling Nebraska,” says Baldwn, “it was important to avoid seeing hills or mountains.” But the variety of locations available in Portland gives him plenty to work with. “In some cases, the writers have written specifically for locations we found or have adapted scenes or action to accommodate what is available.” For example, the prison scene for this season’s opener was a facility built several years ago by Multnomah County but never put into operation for budgetary reasons. It was a location too good to pass up, so Baldwin and the writers made use of it. When the script called for a high-tech office building for the fictional Dubertech Corporate Headquarters, Baldwin discovered the performing arts center at Clackamas Community College was ideal. The show’s producers have been very happy with the crew available in Portland, as well. And as far as logistical support, the city is “big enough to have the services we need, but small enough that we can maintain close relationships with both locations and vendors,” Baldwin reports. www.markeemag.com
[Above] Leverage’s Timothy Hutton and Christian Kane on a Portland rooftop. Photo by: Erik Heinila
[Below] Leverage star Timothy Hutton on location on the Portland waterfront doubling for Boston Harbor. Photo by: Erik Heinila
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Locations, Locations, Locations
Serendipity in Dallas for The Good Guys
[Above] The Good Guys’ cop partners Dan Stark (Bradley Whitford) and Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks) walking through Deep Ellum, a neighborhood to the southeast of downtown Dallas which shows off the city backdrop.
[Below] The Texas Star Ferris wheel at Fair Park is often seen in the background of The Good Guys.
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Production stories are often wrought with catastrophe, particularly when it comes to location shoots where the environment is not usually under the filmmakers’ control. But sometimes things come together in ways that make the production and the location almost seem to belong together. Such is the case with The Good Guys, the new FOX police comedy with a retro vibe, and its Dallas setting. Although the show was originally written for Los Angeles, writer and creator Matt Nix (Burn Notice) and production designer/co-producer Craig Siebels found themselves scouting for a more financially-feasible home city prior to production. “We wanted the benefit of being able to shoot in a city where the story is set,” explains Siebels, “not pretending it was shot somewhere else.” It needed to be a metropolitan city with an international airport because “the show is about little crimes that turn into big crimes.” Dallas was a quick favorite. Driving along the south side of the city, Siebels found an area where the metropolitan skyline was an easy backdrop for several small locations. “We could be on the front steps of the drycleaner where our story begins, and the city of Dallas fills our frame in the background,” he recalls. “Some of the other cities we looked at had those same impressive cityscapes, but you couldn’t see the skyline from the ground.” Dallas’s Hall of State building doubles for the partners’ police station. Less often discussed when filmmakers take advantage of locations with tax incentives is the city’s available crew base. “Finding the crew base is sometimes the most challenging part of finding a location,” says Siebels. When production started in Dallas, one film had just wrapped, and The Good Guys was the only show in town, so there was plenty of crew available. “Now there are two more shows shooting here, and that’s a little scary. We’re really hoping that experienced crew that may have moved away are moving back, or people who are not finding work in LA now will move to Dallas because there’s definitely going to be more work in this town.” Thematically and logistically, Dallas was a good fit for The Good Guys, but the clincher was Fair Park. Siebels wanted to find a home base that could also act as a “Hollywood backlot” for little scenes and pickups. The Dallas Film Commission was instrumental in securing the 220-acre city-owned park that houses the State Fair every year beginning in July. “The building we’re using for catering is their creative arts building, and the place where we store our picture cars is the swine building: In two months, it will be filled with pigs,” says Siebels. But for the original 13 episodes of the series, the park and five of the fair buildings belonged to the show. When FOX’s extension of the season to 20 episodes didn’t leave enough time to shoot seven more shows before Fair Park became unavailable, the production wrapped episode 13, broke down and cleaned up, and took a six-week hiatus before resuming from new headquarters in downtown warehouses two miles away. Some say Dallas works for the show’s retro feel because areas of the city still hold on to that ’70s look. The environs also make it possible to keep 15-20 locations per episode within a 30-mile radius whether the script calls for an urban or rural setting. When an episode had the heroes trapped in the back of a semi and hauled seven hours away for a rural shoot-out, nearby Ovilla, after a difficult search, served as the country setting. With the help of the Dallas Film Commission and an “incredibly welcoming” city where permitting is often quick and congenial and real cops are not only friendly and helpful to the production but have even suggested shooting locations, Siebels says he hopes to keep Dallas neighborhoods and residents happy with The Good Guys’ presence because “we hope to continue here for years if we can.” Film • Video • Animation • Audio • Locations • People
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Paradise Goes Contemporary for New Hawaii Five-0 For its fall line up, CBS has reimagined the iconic Hawaii Five-0 that aired from 1968-80 and pioneered location shooting for episodic television. Locations are once again integral to the look and feel of the new show which executive producer Peter M. Lenkov in Honolulu says is “visually definitely more contemporary; it’s fast, bold, sexy, compelling – all in the heart of paradise.” Lenkov explains that “the writers are committed to telling stories within the environment of ‘real’ Hawaii…whether it’s showcasing the picturesque and iconic locales of Oahu or a window into the underbelly of paradise that also does exist here, like any other metropolitan city. Hawaii is by no means a backdrop, rather an intricate tapestry of each character and the stories they tell.” At press time, production had just gotten underway so much of the location shooting for the season remained. But Lenkov already gives kudos to “dedicated support from the City and County of Honolulu, the state offices, the CVBs (Convention and Visitors Bureaus) and the film commissioner…you can imagine the excitement and endless potential to showcase far more than a soundstage – if anything, we have the most stunning, authentic, dynamic set imaginable: Hawaii!” In the pilot, the Kualoa Ranch, which he says is a favorite of nearly every film and TV project in Hawaii, served as a Korean War zone. Its “majestic valley is so diverse,” he says. “I am quite certain we will return to Kualoa, although with a completely new context.” Honolulu Harbor served as an industrial port where villains came up against the Five-0 squad; the opening sequence spotlights “endless beauty shots of the west side of Oahu – stunning, absolutely stunning.” While he admits to still be “discovering the production potential of Hawaii,” he reports that “Barber’s Point never ceases to amaze me. The military history, architecture, artifacts and airfields produce such a natural commanding environment so conducive to scenes” in the series. Acording to Lenkov, location scouting and managing “go hand in hand while running back to back for each episode. The breakdown is about 40 percent for scouting and 60 percent for managing. Scripts are delivered on average five to eight days before production begins; each episode is shot in approximately eight days under the direction of varying directors, ADs and production designers. It’s a continuous and challenging process: Location stewardship makes all the difference.” For a “destination show” like Hawaii Five-0, “it’s imperative to have a locally-based, creative and experienced location manager and team who know Hawaii, from the nooks and crannies to the golden ticket,” he points out. “It’s also about nurturing location relationships from previous scenes [and] episodes.” www.markeemag.com
[Above] Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim, Alex O’Loughlin and Grace Park on a sundrenched Hawaiian beach for Hawaii Five-0 premiering on CBS this fall. Photo by: Mario Perez/CBS; ©2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Below] Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan, backed by island palms, star in a new take on the classic Hawaii Five-0. Photo by: Mario Perez/CBS; ©2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Locations Gallery
Contact:
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Jutta Matalka Director, Tourism/Film
Considered the second largest canyon in the U.S. and one of its most magnificent scenic attractions. More than 30,000 acres display extraordinary vistas of color and beauty. Today’s visitors appreciate the fact that they can drive 800 feet down to the bottom of the canyon.
Amarillo Film Commission 1000 S. Polk • Amarillo, TX 79101 Phone: 806.342.2012 • F: 806.342.2061 www.visitamarillotx.com
The Real South: Tupelo, Mississippi
Contact: Pat Rasberry Film Commissioner
Tupelo offers a unique blend of settings for your next film, and it also has a dedicated Film Commissioner who will assist you in any way possible and will help you to take advantage of up to 25% incentives on a minimum spend of only $20K!
Tupelo Film Commission 399 E. Main • Tupelo, MS 38804 Phone: 800.533.0611 • F: 662.841.6558 www.tupelofilmcommission.net
Contacts: Becky Beckstoffer, Marketing Manager Andy Edmunds, Location Manager
Keepers of the Flame: Kent Eanes, photographer.
Kathryn Stephens, Locations Assistant
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Virginia - Authentic Locations Filmmakers Welcome It’s the Atlantic Ocean, Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. It’s the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah Valley and the Appalachian Trail. It’s yesterday, today and tomorrow. Visit FilmVirginia.org and find out why you should consider filming your next project in Virginia, or call the Film Office for information about locations, crew and incentives.
Virginia Film Office 901 East Byrd Street • Richmond, Virginia 23219-4048 Phone: 800.854.6233 • F: 804.545.5531 www.film.virginia.org
Film • Video • Animation • Audio • Locations • People
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July/August 2010 • V. 25 |No. 4
2.0 Music & Sound Guide
Film • Video • Animation • Audio • Locations • People
[Pictured] The Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo-equipped control room at Funky Tymz Studio, Nashville where Scootman Music & Sound Design offers full-service audio. Photo Courtesy of John Billings
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Music & Sound Gallery
5 Alarm Music
American Music Company
FirstCom Music
5 Alarm Music for film, TV, commercials, promos and replacement work. 40 different production music libraries. Search and download online. Live chat help! Indie artists... Rescue Records.
High quality, great production music and variety. Every selection of music is posted to our web site for immediate review and instant downloading. Inexpensive music licensing and no bull@#$%!
FirstCom Music offers 140,000 tracks with over 6,000 new tracks released every year from some of the world’s best composers. You can expect innovative solutions, real customer service and music that changes everything.
P: 626.304.1698 • F: 626.795.2058 www.5alarmmusic.com info@5alarmmusic.com
P: 516.764.1466 • F: 516.764.2648 www.americanmusicco.com info@americanmusicco.com
P: 800.858.8880 • F: 972.242.6520 www.firstcom.com info@firstcom.com
Killer Tracks
Music 2 Hues
Non-Stop Music
21 unique music libraries plus thousands of quality sound effects and production elements, fast & easy one-stop licensing, friendly and knowledgeable music supervisors and account reps, and convenient music access online, on hard drive and on interactive DVD!
Music 2 Hues supplies royalty-free production music and SFX to the film, video broadcast & multimedia industries. Instant Downloads or CD’s. Huge selection.
Nearly 50 libraries of music and sound design elements are available for download as AIFF, WAV, or high-res mp3 at nonstopmusic.com. With the recent addition of the Groove Addicts catalogs, Non-Stop Music has become your onestop music library resource!
P: 800.454.5537 • F: 800.787.2257 www.killertracks.com info@killertracks.com
www.music2hues.com info@music2hues.com
New York: 212.275.3134 Los Angeles: 818.238.6300 Salt Lake City: 801.531.0060 www.nonstopmusic.com
Omnimusic
Scootman Music Productions
Videohelper
The best music for media with over 16,000+ tracks of exceptional production music. Fast search and download on the web 24/7, and we are always just a phone call away when you need us!
World class original/library music, sonic branding, recording, 5.1 mixdown (studio/live), and voiceovers for any multimedia project.
P: 800.828.6664 www.omnimusic.com info@omnimusic.com
P: 615.319.9556 www.scootmanmusic.com scootmanmusic@bellsouth.net
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Production music for people who hate production music.
P: 212.633.7009 • F: 212.633.9014 www.videohelper.com info@videohelper.com
Film • Video • Animation • Audio • Locations • People
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5 ALARM MUSIC
7:24 PM
626-304-1698
F:626-795-2058
info@5alarmmusic.com www.5alarmmusic.com
5TH FLOOR RECORDING CO
414-276-1919
F:414-221-6621
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AZ LOS ANGELES
310-581-8081
F:310-581-8091
BAD ANIMALS
206-443-1500
F:206-441-2910
info@badanimals.com
BAKER SOUND STUDIO 615-244-6515
F:615-242-2455
info@615music.com www.615music.com
215-567-0400
F:215-567-0350
CAKEMIX RECORDING
972-818-1649
F:972-818-2686
record@cakemixrecording.com
615 MUSIC
CANARY COLLECTION
888-422-6279
info@bakersound.com
BAM STUDIO
312-255-8862
F:312-255-8842
info@canarymusic.com
CATAMOUNT RECORDING INC
319-235-6517
info@bamstudio.com
catamount@cfu.net
818-846-1615
F:615-242-2455
info@615music.com www.615music.com
7-OUT-MUSIC
323-650-0767
F:323-650-2906
mark@7outmusic.com
AARON/STOKES MUSIC + SOUND F:612-373-5826
612-373-2220 info@aaronstokes.com
ABSOLUTE MUSIC
612-339-6758 absolute@absolutemusicinc.com
AIRCRAFT MUSIC LIBRARY
800-343-2514
F:617-303-7666
BEACON STREET STUDIOS
310-392-9535 adrea@beaconstreetstudios.com
BEAR CREEK STUDIO F:425-486-2718
BENNETT STUDIOS F:201-227-7133
BIG U MUSIC.SOUND DESIGN F:602-254-6596
BLAZING MUSIC + SOUND
425-481-4100
401-737-4410 music@alazia.com
ALTIER MUSIC
BLUE MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN F:310-568-0033
561-427-3414 BOUTWELL STUDIOS
info@composerguy.com
AMBER MUSIC
michelle@ambermusic.com
AMBER MUSIC
310-582-8288
F:310-582-8288
carol@ambermusic.com
AMERICAN MUSIC COMPANY INC F:516-764-2648
F:913-894-6857
201-227-0200 dae@bennettstudios.com
602-253-2448 info@bigumusic.com
919-645-6622 310-568-3355 blue@bluemusicla.com
205-870-1180
802-425-3508 chas@charlesellerstudios.com
CHICAGO RECORDING CO F:312-822-9189
312-822-9333 chrisshepard@chicagorecording.com
CINETRAX
323-874-9590
F:323-874-9592
info@cinetrax.com
CLATTER & DIN
206-464-0520
F:206-464-0702
info@clatterdin.com
CLEAN CUTS MUSIC F:202-237-5455
202-237-8884 christina@cleancuts.com
COLORADO SOUND RECORDING STUDIO
612-252-3990 info@bwnoise.com
303-430-8811
colosnd@coloradosound.com
615-298-2200 CONCENTRIX MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN info@brockmusic.com
BWN
913-894-6854 chuck@chapmanrecording.com
CHARLES ELLER STUDIOS
greg@boutwellstudios.com
212-352-1888 BROCK MUSIC INC
F:212-352-1208
CHAPMAN RECORDING STUDIO
bearcreek@seanet.com
eric@blazingmusicsound.com
ALAZIA ENTERTAINMENT
F:704-372-3581
COUPE STUDIOS MUSIC
704-372-3448
fred@concentrixmusic.com
303-447-0551 info@coupestudios.com
516-764-1466 info@americanmusicco.com www.americanmusicco.com
ANOTHER COUNTRY
312-706-5800
F:312-706-5801
tim.konn@anothercountry.net
APM MUSIC
323-461-3211 accountservices@apmmusic.com
APM MUSIC F:212-856-9807
323-462-1873 info@outlawsound.com
ray@5thfloorrecording.com
615 MUSIC
F:323-461-9102
BWN
alonso@azlosangeles.com
212-856-9800 accountservices@apmmusic.com
ARU INC
312-527-7000
F:312-527-3360
katie@aruchicago.com
ASCHE & SPENCER
612-338-0032
F:612-338-4319
info@ascheandspencer.com
ASCHE & SPENCER
310-396-2344
F:310-396-7387
info@ascheandspencer.com
AUDACITY RECORDING
954-920-4418
F:954-923-9274
linda@audacityrecording.com
AUDIO ENGINE-NY
212-473-2700 info@audioengine.net
AUDIO ENGINE-WEST
602-250-8605
F:602-250-8606
info-west@audioengine.net
AUDIO LAB SOUND RECORDINGS
208-344-9551 steve@audiolab.org
AUDIOIMAGE RECORDING F:804-644-8801
AUDISEE
804-644-7700 info@audioimagerecording.com
206-283-4733 audisee@audisee.com
www.markeemag.com
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Music & Sound Listings CREATIVE SOUND CONCEPTS F:404-367-9599
404-873-6628
DREAMSCAPE MUSIC
creativesound@mindspring.com
CSS MUSIC
800-468-6874
F:323-660-2070
info@cssmusic.com
CURTIS BRYANT MUSIC
770-964-3063
F:770-969-4013
cbmusic@bellsouth.net
DAVENPORT MUSIC LIBRARY
866-698-7983
F:704-749-2566
nd@davenportmusic.com
DAVID BERNSTEIN MUSIC
DRM PRODUCTIONS INC F:972-539-1129
EARHOLE F:312-527-4884
ECHO BOYS F:612-338-4601
503-396-5294 ELIAS ARTS db@davidbernsteinmusic.com
DEAF MULE F:214-849-5507
DERRYBERRY AUDIO INC F:303-254-6304
DEWOLFE MUSIC LIBRARY F:212-382-0278
DIGITAL DOMAIN OF AUSTIN F:512-328-9056
DIGITAL ONE F:503-224-7413
DL MUSIC F:323-878-0444
DOPPLER STUDIOS F:404-249-7148
214-849-5505 info@deafmule.com
F:212-645-0874
ELIAS ARTS F:310-581-4800
303-456-8216 EMOTO MUSIC info@derryberryaudio.com
212-382-0220 EMOTO MUSIC
F:310-566-1469
503-228-3441 EXTREME PRODUCTION MUSIC dano@digone.com
F:310-395-0409
323-878-0400 FIRSTCOM MUSIC derek@dl-music.com
F:972-389-4301
F:416-786-1783
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312-527-1775
GLENN SOUND
206-583-8112
info@earholestudios.com
F:206-583-0930
info@glennsound.com
612-338-7947 info@echoboys.com
212-807-6500
July/August 2010
info@gemusic.com
GMP MUSIC
800-955-0619
F:269-687-9200
info@gmpmusic.com
GOPLAYMUSIC.COM
206-363-9270
dpiacenza@eliasarts.com
310-581-6500 ahaugen@eliasarts.com
geoff@goplaymusic.com
GRATIS MUSIC LIBRARY
800-864-1467
F:800-514-8354
jlambert@gratismusiclibrary.com
310-399-6900 GROOVE ADDICTS
310-572-4646
F:310-572-4647
info@grooveaddicts.com
312-640-1878 HANDSOME BROTHERS MUSIC 310-566-1463
F:617-666-3918
617-666-1200
president@handsomebrothers.com
HEST & KRAMER VAN HOUSE & WEBER
310-573-8484
dayna@endlessnoise.com
F:310-573-8488
310-395-0408
HI FI PROJECT
310-319-1100
la@extrememusic.com
F:310-395-5868
info@hifiproject.com
800-858-8880 info@firstcom.com www.firstcom.com
HORRIBLE MUSIC F:818-995-6110
HUM MUSIC AND SOUND FRESH MUSIC LIBRARY
212-673-9274
F:212-673-9140
404-873-6941 info@dopplerstudios.com
info@gamebeatstudios.com
214-752-5000 GE MUSIC
chicago@emotomusic.com
512-328-9058 ENDLESS NOISE
708-283-8860
F:708-283-8870
service@drmprod.com
la@emotomusic.com
info@dewolfemusic.com kelly@digdom.com
310-857-8599 GAMEBEAT STUDIOS len@dreamscapemusic.com
413-786-1450
F:310-260-4944
jim@hestkramer.com
310-260-9939 jud@horriblemusic.net
310-260-4949 debbi@humit.com
bob@freshmusic.com
Film • Video • Animation • Audio • Locations • People
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HUMMINGBIRD PRODUCTIONS F:615-385-3446
3:40 PM
615-385-3729
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MASTERSOURCE MUSIC CATALOG
info@hummingbirdproductions.com
HUNTER GIBSON MUSIC INC
601-853-1778
F:601-853-1169
huntergibson1@comcast.net
212-841-8700 info@mastersource.com www.mastersource.com
MAYFAIR WORKSHOP
MODERN MUSIC
612-332-6299
F:612-332-4910
info@modern-music.com
MULTI-MEDIAMUSIC INC 773-426-3073 F:432-224-9124
219-662-8857 joey@multi-mediamusic.com
mark@mayfairrecordings.com
I DIG MUSIC
312-988-907 ron@idigmusic.com
MUSIC 2 HUES MEGATRAX F:818-255-7199
ID MUSIC
818-255-7100
888-821-7515 info@music2hues.com www.music2hues.com
info@megatrax.com
312-587-0133 john@idmusicchicago.com
MENTEN MUSIC INC
612-940-6177 MUSIC A LA CARTE info@mentenmusic.com
IMAGESCORE MUSIC
F:305-854-1925
305-854-1810 info@musicalacarte.com
623-376-7049 contact@imagescore.com
MENZA MUSIC
214-574-6874 info@menzamusic.com
INTIMITA MUSIC
MUSICBOX F:818-224-4043
818-224-4318 info@musicboxmx.com
323-573-2896 jmassari@intimitamusic.com
IV INC
615-320-1444
F:615-256-6037
skeller@ivgroup.cc
JAMES NEEL MUSIC HOUSE
800-325-9877 james@jamesneelmusichouse.com
JAMIE DEFRATES MUSIC
904-399-2929
F:904-399-2981
defrates@bellsouth.net
JAY HOWARD PRODUCTION AUDIO F:704-523-5473
704-525-7864 info@jayhowardaudio.com
JDK MUSIC PRODUCTION
804-272-6777
F:804-761-6955
info@jdkmusic.com
JECO MUSIC
310-315-3626
F:310-315-9585
gus@jecomusic.com
JECO MUSIC
212-768-8501
F:212-768-8505
gus@jecomusic.com
JRT MUSIC
888-578-6874
F:212-353-9317
info@jrtmusic.com
JSM
212-627-2200
F:212-645-0484
info@jsmmusic.com
KALEIDOSOUND
925-283-9901
F:925-283-9902
forrest@k-sound.com
KILLER TRACKS
800-454-5537
F:310-865-4470
info@killertracks.com www.killertracks.com
LAMBCHOPS STUDIOS
602-279-0900
F:602-279-0980
susan@lambchops.com
LEONARD WOLF MUSIC
615-254-4828 leonard@wolfmusic.com
LION & FOX RECORDING
301-982-4431 mail@lionfox.com
LOS ANGELES POST MUSIC INC F:818-990-7661
818-501-8329 info@lapostmusic.com
LUMINOUS SOUND STUDIOS
972-331-7040
F:972-331-7041
info@luminoussound.com
M-CUTS MUSIC LIBRARY
706-333-0787 pat@m-cuts.com
MANCHESTER MUSIC LIBRARY
413-369-4331
information@manchestermusic.com
MANHATTAN PRODUCTION MUSIC F:212-262-0814
212-333-5766 info@mpmmusic.com
MARSHALL SOUND DESIGN
972-484-1535 johnny@marshallsounddesign.com
www.markeemag.com
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Music & Sound Listings MUSIKVERGNUEGEN
323-856-5900 POINT CLASSICS LLC
F:323-856-5917
info@musikv.com
F:818-985-5811
NARRATOR TRACKS NON-STOP MUSIC LIBRARY F:801-531-0346
PRODUCTION GARDEN MUSIC F:210-530-5230
801-531-0060
PROMIDI INT’L CORP
305-956-9116
SCM PRODUCTIONS
F:305-947-8220
info@promidi.biz
F:303-422-6334
RCB MUSIC LIBRARY F:813-655-0575
770-441-9161
F:770-453-9187
800-448-6467
512-989-3042
210-530-5200
ROYALTY FREE MUSIC
info@ntracks.com info@nonstopmusic.com www.nonstopmusic.com
NUANCE MUSIC
866-368-9603 tanvi@pointclassics.com
info@royaltyfreemusic.com
SCIENCE FRICTION
856-810-1448
info@productiongarden.com
info@scifrimusic.com
303-422-6333 scm@scmpro.com
813-689-6066 SCOOTMAN MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN info@rcbmusiclibrary.com
bmsatter@nuancemusic.com
REN MUSIC LIBRARY OGM PRODUCTION MUSIC
323-461-2701
F:323-461-1543
F:732-382-5329
732-382-6815 renmedia@aol.com
ogmmusic@gmail.com
OMNIMUSIC
800-828-6664
F:516-883-0271
info@omnimusic.com www.omnimusic.com
RHYTHM CAFE
312-787-8010
F:312-787-8122
jim@rhythymcafe.com
mitch@opus1musiclibrary.com
RIOT MUSIC
debbie@outpostaudio.com
RIPE SOUND
248-298-2858
F:248-786-6248
ozone@ozonesound.com
RIPTIDE MUSIC
707-782-9099 andy1@ripesound.com
PERSONAL MUSIC INC F:305-854-7045
RIVER CITY SOUND PRODUCTION RK MUSIC
212-229-2279
F:212-229-2082
rob@rkmusic.com
212-486-9816 dennis@singingserpent.com
SINGLETON PRODUCTIONS
972-226-7118 bobs@singletonproductions.com
SMARTSOUND SOFTWARE INC
800-454-1900
F:818-920-9152
RON ROSE PRODUCTIONS
info@smartsound.com
813-873-7700 info@ronroseproductions.com
310-287-1876 getreel@plugdmusic.com
SINGING SERPENT
F:972-226-9413
F:813-875-6633
PLUG’D MUSIC + SOUND DESIGN
310-882-5439 music@singingserpent.com
901-274-7277 info@rivercitysound.com
305-854-7014 info@personalmusic.com
SINGING SERPENT
310-437-4380 contact@riptidemusic.com
541-345-8117
support@instantdownloadmusic.com
619-235-6040 music@singingserpent.com
F:212-486-9820 F:901-274-8494
PBTM ROYALTY FREE MUSIC
SINGING SERPENT
F:310-882-5517 F:310-437-4384
OZONE MUSIC
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800-537-5829 sales@stephenarnoldmusic.com www.stephenarnoldmusic.com
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STIMMUNG
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THE MUSIC KITCHEN F:661-338-2514
661-338-4749 michael@themusickitchen.com
THE PROCESS RECORDING STUDIOS F:336-855-0819
SZABO SOUND & MUSIC
713-956-7451
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TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD F:512-499-8057
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336-855-1941 VALENTINE PRO
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800-223-6278
F:323-969-0968
info@tvmusic.com
203-373-1847 VIDEOHELPER dennis@thesoundadvisor.com
THIRD COAST MUSIC
212-633-7009
F:212-633-9014
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901-274-7277
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bob@rivercitysound.com
WALTER BRYANT MUSIC
816-741-3750 walter@walterbryantmusic.com
THE HIT HOUSE
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THE MUSIC BAKERY F:972-424-3680
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brian@themusicfactory.com
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[Above Top] Robbers set off a chain of events frozen in time by Zoic Studios for CSI’s season 10 opener.
[Above] Rik Shorten, VFX supervisor at Zoic Studios, has worked on CSI since season five.
[Right] Instruments spill from a cart during a corridor chase in CSI’s ‘frozen moment’ opener created by Zoic Studios.
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[Left Middle] The effects-intensive umbilicus shot ended the first season of Warehouse 13.
[Left] Secret Service agents Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) and Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) between artifact hunts at Warehouse 13.
CSI and Warehouse 13
WOW VIEWERS WITH VFX Zoic Studios and Keyframe Digital deliver VFX grounded in reality and springing from the imagination for a landmark network TV series and one of cable’s highest-rated newcomers. BY CHRISTINE BUNISH
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VFX in TV Series
CSI Captures Frozen Moment
[Below Top] Zoic Studios’ David Bryant performing 3D tracking for a shot on CSI.
[Bottom] Zoic Studios’ Tom Bremer, Derek Smith and Christina Spring put finishing touches on an episode of CSI.
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Although the original CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is beginning its eleventh season on CBS, the groundbreaking criminal forensics series is definitely not in a visual effects rut. Los Angelesbased Zoic Studios (www.zoicstudios.com), which has been the VFX provider for the show since season five and helps with the Miami and New York spin-offs as needed, recently netted a Visual Effects Society award for its ‘frozen moment’ season 10 opener (see photos) and won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series for the amazing, no-cuts 2:20 sequence, the biggest Zoic has ever done for a series. “We’ve been able to create a lot more cinematic shots in seasons 10 and 11 because the hardware and render power have caught up to the TV delivery model,” reports Zoic VFX supervisor Rik Shorten. “We do eight to thirty VFX shots per episode for twenty-four episodes a year. As you get into the delivery schedule there’s not a lot of breathing room: It usually takes two weeks to deliver that quality and quantity of shots.” Zoic used to become involved with developing VFX shots for CSI during script breakdowns. But at the end of last season the studio started to be called in at the outline stage, a process that continues with season 11. “It has taken us five seasons to be included as creative partners so early in the writing stage. I think it’s unique,” says Shorten. “We’re excited about the opportunity to collaborate at such an early stage. The producers want the VFX to be a character in the show again.” Now Shorten and his CG lead Derek Smith accompany co-producer and director Brad Tannenbaum to pitch the director and writers at the script outline stage. “It’s very gratifying when we get the first draft and see what we pitched has been written in,” he reports. Every episode includes signature ‘CSI shots’ where, for example, the camera follows a bullet through the victim’s heart and sees how it ricochets through the body. “We have to come up with the concepts and then shoot all the elements we’ll need to create these dynamic shots,” Shorten explains. “They expect us to create a visual roadmap for them.” All shots “have a basis in the real practical science and process,” he emphasizes, even if time periods are compressed for TV viewing. “We only have three to 10 seconds to tell the story with the voiceover and keep viewers engaged.” Zoic taps the show’s crime lab consultants and calls specialists for advice as needed. “I have a full library of the inner workings of the human body,” Shorten points out. “We’ve all learned more about bodily fluids than we want to know.” CSI’s high-concept ‘frozen moment’ shot was inspired by a two-minute Philips LCD TV commercial for Europe that executive producer Naren Shankar saw on the web; the camera flew through a bank robbery gone wrong and the resulting gun fight. “We’d done smaller frozen moments before, usually panning through one moment,” Shorten says. “For CSI, we were multiplying that by ten, flying through multiple environments in the lab, transitioning from the robbery and muzzle flash to flying bullets, people crashing through glass walls, the getaway van. We’re pausing the action to see what happens. The teaser pays off in realtime later in the show.” Although frozen moments can be recorded with several techniques, Zoic put a Black Widow/Kuper Controls motion-control rig on the Universal Studios set and did a lot of “old-school prep” with props and actors using monofilament, harnesses and supports to capture characters and their wardrobe and hair (“we used a lot of hairspray,” Shorten quips) in mid-action on 35mm film over a three-day shoot. Motion-control
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passes were shot with and without actors, with pyro and interactive lighting. “Then we stitched all the camera traveling together, cleaned up any subtle movements that would have ruined the shot, and put in the CG – exploding glass, medical instruments in mid-air, flying bullets, Bunsen burner flames.” he explains. “Shooting the plates and elements and doing the CG took about six weeks – we could only have done it for the first episode before air dates caught up with us,” he notes. “When we talked about the shot at the Visual Effects Society, the fact that we did something of that cinematic level for a TV show – with a TV budget and schedule – was what impressed people. It was a huge challenge, an adventure!” NewTek’s LightWave 3D is Zoic’s primary CG software with Autodesk Maya and Pixar’s RenderMan deployed for particles and fluid simulations. “LightWave has a reputation as a good hard-surface tool for planes, trains and automobiles, but we’re using it for organics,” he notes. The studio has compiled a huge volumedic medical database of human-body scans that allows artists to quickly source and build shots. “The data sets, designed for medical research, are so huge that we’ve had to trim them and break them out for our use,” Shorten says. “Sometimes we need to jerry rig something from outside the industry to make it work in our pipeline. You take unconventional solutions and make them work for what you need.” Zoic is currently crafting a “high-adrenaline teaser” for the first episode of season 11 “with the same sort of wow moments” as the ‘frozen moment’ shot. Shorten promises that CSI will “take the gloves off” for VFX this year. “We really want to stay relevant. The series has inspired other shows in the genre, and I hope this year we’ll reinvent how to tell stories while continuing to take the work we do to a new level.”
[Above] Lab equipment tumbles from shelves amidst shards of broken glass in Zoic Studios’ ‘frozen moment’ that opened CSI season 10.
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VFX in TV Series
Warehouse 13 Ups the VFX Ante
[Above Top] The scene where Claudia perches atop a step stool to repair the warehouse zip line was shot greenscreen.
[Above Middle] Keyframe extended the warehouse set, as seen in the final composite.
[Bottom] A wireframe shows the scene’s CG elements.
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When Warehouse 13 debuted on the Syfy Network last summer, viewers were introduced to a mysterious repository in the Badlands where historic and dangerous artifacts (think Alice Through the Looking Glass’s mirror, Sylvia Plath’s typewriter, Volta’s lab coat) that can affect the people and environments around them are housed. Each week Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) and Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly), Secret Service agents attached to the warehouse, are tasked with collecting new artifacts that are wreaking havoc in small towns and big cities worldwide. From the vast warehouse itself, which appears to stretch to infinity, to the bizarre artifacts and their powerful attributes, episodes are packed with VFX. Keyframe Digital Productions in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario (www.keyframe.ca), came on board to develop and create the show’s visual effects after the pilot and is currently in the midst of season two. Each show features the warehouse interior and exterior, the vintage-style Farnsworth communications device, the agents’ defensive Tesla Gun, plus the artifact-of-the-day. VFX shots easily surpass 200 per episode in season two, reports Darren Cranford, Keyframe’s president and co-founder with Clint Green and the show’s VFX producer. “We’re about halfway through the season with tons of CG, comps, facial replacements – you name it. We have a huge episode coming up with over 300 VFX shots. And the end of the season will be even bigger. But all the effects are story-driven. There are no VFX for VFX sake.” Keyframe usually has a lot of latitude in developing the VFX. The infinite scope of the warehouse was established in the pilot but the studio continues to enrich it using Autodesk 3ds Max. Keyframe blueprints its grid pattern and assigns new rooms, such as the Dark Vault and Bronzing Room, to spaces in the structure’s supports so they can be seen again when the camera flies by the same spot in future episodes. “The warehouse is real geometry, not a matte painting. The polygon count is in the millions upon millions,” Cranford reveals. “There’s all kinds of eye candy in the warehouse for fans: the Hindenburg hanging from the ceiling, Easter Island heads, the Trojan Horse, a perpetually-moving lighthouse and windmill. It’s probably one of the largest scenes in TV.” Keyframe also reprised the look of the Farnsworth from the pilot but season two may see some tweaks as brilliant young Claudia Donovan (Allison Scagliotti) attempts to update it. “She’s playing with the idea of color [on the device’s primitive video screen] but so far we’re keeping the steampunk feel and sepia tone,” Cranford says. “Farnsworth composites can be quite a challenge. A lipstick camera captures the moving actor’s image but the handheld Farnsworth is also moving with changing reflections and tracking. The screens are rounded, too, so we have to bend images to fit.” The cliffhanger last episode of season one and the first episode of season two featured many dynamic VFX. The 20-second giant pull-out revealing the aftermath of the explosion that destroyed the umbilicus tunnel and, presumably, warehouse director Artie Nielsen (Saul Rubinek), showed Pete and Myka framed in a doorway to nowhere encircled by live smoke. Keyframe’s VFX lead Darren Locke used Sitni Sati’s FumeFX software to track the scene as the camera moved back and added 3D explosions, debris, fire and smoke. Later, FumeFX also reconstituted Artie, saved by the phoenix artifact in his pocket. In the same episode Claudia morphed to Bed & Breakfast manager Leena (Genelle Williams) who’s under the spell of the evil MacPherson. The actors were shot on greenscreen and morphed in stages with Autodesk Combustion and Adobe After Effects; a glowing, almost thread-like element — inspired by the supernatural thimble that enables the transformation — was created in 3ds Max. It spiraled up around Claudia bringing on Leena “more organically” than a conventional morph. Combustion’s “really robust paint program” gave MacPherson the bronzing that only momentarily interred him; it was reversed but when his protective crystal necklace was torn off and his blood began to boil, the villain crumbled into ashes. “We scanned actor Roger Rees’s head and
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body and made a 3D head for him,” Cranford recalls. “Senior VFX artist Rex Alerta comped effects onto the Roger underneath using (Andersson Technologies’) SynthEyes to track moving textures of the blood boiling under his skin and dialing it up as he went along. We added 3D ashes falling off his hair and burns and disintegrated his whole body in a 3D particle mass.” What makes it possible for Keyframe to deliver so many high-quality VFX shots on a TV schedule? “Lots of coffee, and we only hire people who don’t require any sleep,” he quips. “Our greatest asset is not our computers and software but the artists who come up with the ideas,” he adds in a more serious vein. “Executive producer Jack Kenny understands the effects process and doesn’t make unreasonable requests. When we send him effects for approval he sends back notes within an hour – it’s why we’re able to turn things around so quickly.” The fact that Warehouse 13 shoots in Toronto with RED One cameras has also made a “huge impact” on turnaround time, Cranford points out. “Clint [Green] can be on set and ask the RED technician to grab frames, and he’ll hand him a USB for our matte artist who’s building and matching the set. The RED tech can output any format or file for us which gives us a huge jump on the process.” Greenscreen shots come out “especially nice with RED,” he adds. “There’s hardly any grain whatsoever – it’s a godsend.” Cranford promises many wow moments before season two finishes airing. “We have an effects-generated character in the same show as a character fully-treated with VFX,” he says. “The writers have always wanted to write these types of stories but have been restrained by what VFX have been able to do. Now the writers can write for themselves knowing we can support them. Their stories are top-notch. We’re just complementing what’s already there.”
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[Above] Keyframe’s VFX lead Darren Locke is busy with the intricate cliffhanger shot of the destroyed umbilicus for Warehouse 13 (wireframe seen below).
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Eye on
INDEPENDENT FILMS Although technology has leveled the playing field, the focus in indie filmmaking is on the people and the storytelling. BY MARK R. SMITH AND CHRISTINE BUNISH
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The film: 6 (www.sixmanmovie.com) The genre: Documentary short; 24 minutes
What it’s about: Six-man football in rural Texas.
What it’s really about: “Communities in rural Texas, why they’re struggling and why they’re vital,” says director Jeff Bednarz. “If we lose their schools and their banks, we lose the towns and their history and the next generation of ranchers, too. This is about communities and how they stick together – in this case, through six-man football.” What inspired the production: “The shooting of some six-man spots a few years ago for NFL Network and my love of football – and a sudden phone call from Jim Ferguson who is from that area and explained the significance [of the state finals of six-man football] to me,” says Bednarz. The biggest hurdles to financing: “We self-financed through our company, Directorz, and I felt it was a good PR move for us.” The biggest production challenge: “Simply finding the time to shoot it and edit it,” says Bednarz, a commercial director. “That’s why it took 18 months to work around the football schedule and then work around the postproduction schedules to complete the project.” The biggest postproduction challenge: “I didn’t want to use a voiceover to meld the footage together, so our biggest hurdle was weaving the audio we had with the footage and some audio play-by-play of the games that we acquired from the local radio stations that broadcast them live.” How to get distributed: “We’re in negotiations with distributors now for DVD distribution. It’s been easy to get interest at various levels. On the broadcast side, the 22-minute length of the doc makes it perfect for a half-hour broadcast [with commercials] on a network or an affiliate.” I couldn’t have made the film without: “Jim Ferguson and the open arms of these various rural communities. These are tightly-knit small towns, and it’s important to remember that we were given access during a pivotal time in the lives of these young people. We were very touched at the way we were welcomed and accepted.” Lessons I’ll take to the next film: “What resonates with me is to always listen, especially when you’re making a documentary. You can’t have preconceived notions about the people in a small town, in this case, and how they’re going to treat you. The main thing is to be a fly on the wall and listen. Just have respect and a general blueprint of what you want, and they’ll write the story for you.”
Director/producer: Jeff Bednarz
Writer: Jim Ferguson
Executive producers: Jeremy Besser, John Gilliland, Tammie Kleinmann
DPs: Mark Thomas; Jeff Bednarz (2nd unit)
Editor: Jack Waldrip; Conform, Joey Waldrip, charlieuniformtango/Dallas
Colorist: Rick Stephenson, Filmworkers Club/Dallas
Postproduction sound: Amy Poller, mixer, charlieuniformtango/Dallas
Music: Various tracks from country/rock artist, Steve Earle
Budget: $90,000
Acquisition format/camera: ARRI 16-SR3 and Photosonic 16mm cameras
Locations include: Strawn and Follett in rural West Texas; Lubbock for the state championship
Equipment rental: Panavision Dallas
Film festivals: Premiered at SXSW; USA Film Festival (Dallas); Dallas International Film Festival [Top] The starting lineup for the Strawn, Texas Greyhounds is featured in 6.
Award: USA Film Festival’s Texas Award
[Right] Jeff Bednarz (left) directing 6 in rural Texas.
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Independent Films
The film: Endure (www.enduremovie.com) The genre: Crime thriller (feature); 92 minutes
What it’s about: A pair of detectives race to find a missing woman before an assailant gets to her first.
What it’s really about: “Learning the limits of our control over our lives and the realization that even in the darkest moments hope abides,” says director/writer Joe O’Brien.
Cast includes: Judd Nelson, Tom Arnold, Devon Sawa, Joey Lauren Adams
Director/writer: Joe O’Brien
Producers: Rob Tritton, Phillip Glasser; Paul Rogers, James Carleton, executive producers
DP: Stephen Campbell
Editor: James Carleton, NFocus/Lakeland, Florida
Colorist: John Petersen, Cinefilm/Atlanta; Conform, James Koon, Cinefilm
Postproduction sound mixing/sound design: Rick Morris, Maverick Sound/Winter Garden, Florida
Music: Adam and Dennis Davidson, Grubby Paws/Lakeland, Florida
Budget: $1.2 million
Acquisition format/camera: Multiple RED One cameras
Locations: Polk County, Florida
Equipment rental: Panavision and Hollywood Rentals/Orlando
What inspired the production: “The idea was originally based on the notion of being lost in a seemingly endless abyss of swampland without anyone knowing where you were,” says O’Brien. The biggest hurdles to financing: “Raising money in an area known for real estate and stock investments — investing in a film was a new concept,” says producer Rob Tritton. “It was the end of the real estate boom: People were doing so well, why put their money anywhere else? We had to find people willing to take a bit of a risk and educate them about the business side.” The biggest production challenge: “We shot Endure in 15 long, hard days with a full crew of 75-80 people to feed and house,” notes executive producer James Carleton. “We also spent a week in the middle of a swamp at night.” O’Brien reports that, “the limited time we had to shoot the film impacted every aspect of production from equipment scheduling to the mounting pressures on crew and talent.” The biggest postproduction challenge: “I talked with Cinefilm during prepro so that going into post we had a really good idea where we were headed from editorial and color through the final conform,” says Carleton. “Once we established a good post workflow in prepro and adhered to it we ran into no major obstacles.” How to get distributed: “Before we had a final locked picture we gauged the interest of five or six distributors/sales reps about half of whom wanted to represent us,” Tritton recalls. “We held industry screenings in New York and LA in June, and now we’re entertaining offers daily. We hope to exploit all ancillary markets in the US and explore foreign markets, too.” We couldn’t have made the film without: “Our investors,” says Tritton. “They were not only our financial backers but smart business people, so we could go to them for feedback on general business practices. They believed in us when we began to have doubts and encouraged us.” Lessons we’ll take to the next film: “There are probably 10 things we’ll do differently, but I think one would be going with a smaller crew and more shoot days,” Tritton says. “Creative endeavors are organic and need time to unfold,” adds O’Brien. “Scheduling time for this process for every scene will, in the end, pay dividends both in quality and dollars.”
Film festivals/distribution: Premiered at Gasparilla Film Festival/Tampa; Sarasota Film Festival; Nashville Film Festival; Cape Fear Film Festival
Award: Best Florida Production, Gasparilla Film Festival
[Top] Judd Nelson (background) and Devon Sawa star as detectives racing to find a missing woman.
[Left] A crane captures a scene for Endure in Lakeland, Florida.
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The film: Floating: The Nathan Gocke Story (www.richardyelland.com) The genre: Documentary short, 22 minutes
What it’s about: A 32-year old surfer who broke his neck in a surfing accident and became a quadriplegic. The film documents his progress as he deals with rehabilitation and pursues his dream of catching a wave again.
What it’s really about: “Believing in yourself in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds,” says director Richard Yelland. “It’s a relevant, uplifting message that resonates with disabled and able-bodied people alike.” What inspired the production: “I’ve been working on this cause with the Life Rolls On Foundation for the past decade,” says Yelland. “I was inspired by the individuals I’ve met who have spinal cord injuries – and their ability to do amazing things.” The biggest hurdles to financing: “Finding the funds to finish the project, which came from FUEL TV.” The biggest production challenge: “Being able to stick it out and continue to film and believe in the project until it was finished. Technically speaking, [the challenge] was shooting some of the footage in the ocean, which required water housings for the cameras, a surfboard-mounted camera, cameramen and assistants going in and out of the water and dealing with changing weather and ocean conditions during this past rainy winter.” The biggest postproduction challenge: “Obtaining the appropriate sound mix. We had very good sound throughout production, but you often can’t shoot an extra take in a documentary when you need to. So, if a plane passed overhead during a critical piece of dialogue, it was an issue. We often used lavaliers and boom mics simultaneously to deal with separation, but there were spots in the end product where we had to finesse the sound as best we could.” How to get distributed: “We have a three-year licensing deal with FUEL TV for the U.S. and the Caribbean. We are looking into possibilities with Netflix and iTunes, as well as international distribution.” I couldn’t have made the film without: “A dedicated, talented and passionate editor, Matt Johnston, as well as DP Christopher Gallo, 2nd unit DP Will Tipp and sound mixer Brian Maier, who all made sacrifices to finish the film. Also critical: Life Rolls On gained us access to Nathan in rehab right after his accident. Morgan Spurlock and Jeremy Chilnick believed wholeheartedly in the project, and Shon Tomlin of FUEL TV gave us the opportunity to finish the film and get it to broadcast.” Lessons I’ll take to the next film: “Learning that the story I think I am going to tell in the beginning might not be the best for the film. Being patient, persistent and open to discovering the story as it unveils itself in front of the camera.”
Director/producer: Richard Yelland
Executive producers: Morgan Spurlock and Jeremy Chilnick, Warrior Poets; Shon Tomlin, FUEL TV
DP: Christopher Gallo; Will Tipp (2nd unit)
Editor: Matthew Johnston, Matthew Johnston Editorial/Hollywood
8mm processing and telecine: Pro 8mm/Burbank
Colorist: Daniel Sumpter, Los Angeles
Postproduction sound: Sam Casas, Lindsey Alvarez, mixers; Jeff Malen, assistant mixer, Lime Studios/Santa Monica
Music: Tracks donated by Animal Collective, B. Fleischmann, Bad Veins, Bon Iver, Bright Eyes, Fanfarlo, Damien Jurado, David Kilgour, Moonlit Sailor, Sigur Ros
Budget: Initial $35,000 funding from Craig H. Neilson Foundation and the Life Rolls On Foundation; additional funding from Curtis Birch Productions.
Acquisition format/camera: Panasonic AG-HVX200 DVCPRO HD camera with lens adaptors; HD video-enabled Canon EOS 7D DSLR camera; NIZO Braun Super 8 camera
[Top] Nathan Gocke rides the waves once again. Photo by: Mike Gomez
[Right] Nathan Gocke prepares to climb aboard his surfboard. Photo by: Mike Gomez
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Locations include: Casa Colina Rehabilitation Centers, California
Film festivals/distribution: Airings on FUEL TV began June 23 and will continue for a three-year period; limited theatrical release last April in Los Angeles for Academy Award qualification. Accepted by Blue Ocean Film Festival; awaiting notification from Austin Film Festival, Brisbane International Film Festival, IDA Documentary Festival. July/August 2010
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Independent Films
The film: Idiosyncrasies (www.idiosyncrasiesthefilm.com) The genre: Feature documentary; 65 minutes
What it’s about: An exploration of unique minds in surfing.
What it’s really about: “Idiosyncrasies reveals what’s behind the impact of some of surfing’s most influential underground individuals – from 20-year old Leanne Curren to 61-year old Harbor Bill Mulcoy — by looking at their art and music, surf craft and lifestyle choices,” says director Patrick Trefz.
Director/writer/DP: Patrick Trefz
Executive producers: Greg Martinez, Clark Brigham
Editor/facility/city: Jeremy Huff, Jeff Lopus, Nan Pierce, Sean Cope; assistants Amanda Hudson, Blake Bogosian; TEAK/San Francisco
Postproduction sound: Chris Gridley, sound editor/re-recording mixer, San Francisco
Music: Contributed by friends, including bands Undersea Poem (NYC/Brazil), Kante (Berlin), The Windy Hills (Byron Bay, Australia)
Budget: $80,000
Acquisition format/camera: Panasonic AG-HVX200 DVCPRO HD camera; HD video-enabled Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR with 600mm lens; Bolex and ARRI 16mm film cameras; all in Ron Barbisch custom water housings
Locations include: Santa Cruz and San Diego, California; Australia; Hawaii; Mexico
Film festivals/distribution: Premiered at San Sebastian surffilmfestibal (Spain); New York Surf Film Festival (September 2010). DVD release through VAS Entertainment.
What inspired the production: “I believe the individuals in my [film’s] short stories have a very distinct, at times eccentric, style,” says Trefz. “They all seem to do things in their own way, regardless of trends and flavors that the mainstream surfing world has to offer. And I feel a strong kinship, a psychological attachment to the underdog.” The biggest hurdles to financing: “A downturning economy,” notes Trefz who financed the film himself. “My credit cards were heavily used, but as a photographer with Surf Magazine I was also able to shoot while I was on some assignments.” The biggest production challenge: “There really wasn’t any. Whatever happened I didn’t see as a problem; I took it as part of making movies. After all, I was out in the water enjoying myself! On the technical side, the HVX200 gave me a beautiful, warm look with a lot of depth, and I love its slow motion. And the Canon 5D was good at capturing images in poor lighting conditions or existing light.” The biggest postproduction challenge: “Honing the mass amount of surf footage into a 60-minute film. That’s where TEAK came into play – six months of editing of the highest professional standard really made the whole movie happen! Without them, I’d still be in the editing bay for years to come. Thanks to [TEAK owner and fellow surfer] Greg Martinez and his crew!” How to get distributed: “As a very specialized documentary Idiosyncrasies works well at surf film festivals and other festivals where there’s a lot of human interest. With all the changes in the market the classic movie release isn’t the [only outlet] anymore – I see more of a place for us on the web, in hybrid media. We also have an Idiosyncrasies coffee-table book of photos coming out this fall.” I couldn’t have made the film without: “The cast. They are a very elusive crowd, and I’m lucky enough to have their trust to be able to document slices of their lives. Thanks also to TEAK for their commitment to the project and Sancho Rodriguez at the San Sebastian surffilmfestibal, the first and biggest of its kind in the world.” Lessons I’ll take to the next film: “Every time I move onto the next film I feel a little wiser. I hope I’m learning from past experiences and becoming a better storyteller.” [Top] Josh Mulcoy turning a Bob Simmons design in mainland Mexico with collaborator Richard Kenvin looking on.
[Left] Surfboard glasser Doug Fletcher from Santa Cruz.
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The film: Marwencol (www.marwencol.com) The genre: Feature documentary, 82 minutes
What it’s about: After being attacked and severely injured in 2000, Mark Hogancamp creates an imaginary world – Marwencol, a one-sixth scale World War II-era town -- in his backyard as a form of recovery.
What it’s really about: “Whether art can serve as therapy,” says director Jeff Malmberg.
What inspired the production: “I saw photographs of Mark Hogancamp’s imaginary world, and I wanted to find out what was going on inside of his head,” says director Jeff Malmberg. The biggest hurdles to financing: “Just paying for it myself, which took me four years.” The biggest production challenge: “Trying to make a film by myself. It was me talking to Mark with the camera and sound equipment.” The biggest postproduction challenge: “Trying to figure out what all of the footage meant after four years of production. Mark is a very interesting person, and there are various aspects of his life for a director to focus on and that made [it] tough to select.” How to get distributed: “I think it was all thanks to premiering at SXSW. We got theatrical and PBS TV offers the day after the movie played there. I think that shows the power of film festivals, especially SWSW, to get a little movie exposed to the world.” PBS telecast is scheduled for 2011. I couldn’t have made the film without: “Mark [Hogancamp]. The film is really a tribute to his imagination, which I found to be very inspiring.” Lessons I’ll take to the next film: “That making a film is not really about the size of your crew and the equipment you have. It’s about the heart that you put into your work and the subject in front of your camera – and the depth of your relationship with the subject.”
Director/producer/DP: Jeff Malmberg
Producers: Jeff Malmberg, Tom Putnam, Matt Radecki, Chris Shellen, Kevin Walsh
Additional cinematography: Putnam, Radecki, Walsh
Editor/conform: Jeff Malmberg, Different by Design/Los Angeles
Colorist: Brian Hutchings, Different by Design/Los Angeles
Postproduction sound: Pete Kneser, mixer, PeteSound/Los Angeles
Music: Ash Black Bufflo
Budget: Under $100,000
Acquisition format/camera: Sony PD-150 DVCAM; Canon 814 Super 8mm
Location: Kingston, New York
Film festivals/distribution: Premiered at SXSW; Seattle Film Festival; Cleveland International Film Festival; Independent Film Festival Boston. Theatrical distribution in the U.S. this fall by The Cinema Guild. [Top] Mark Hogancamp setting up a scene in the Marwencol installation. Photo by: Tom Putnam
[Right]
Awards include: Grand Jury Prizes, SXSW, Seattle Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival; Special Jury Prize, Independent Film Festival Boston
A Nazi spy posing as an American GI is shot by an Allied firing squad in Marwencol.
www.markeemag.com
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Independent Films
The film: The Putt Putt Syndrome (www.theputtputtsyndrome.com) The genre: Dark comedy (feature); 85 minutes
What it’s about: Johnny lives the perfect married life until his best friend’s theories on infidelity send him spiraling down into midlife crisis hell.
What it’s really about: “Not taking life or the people in your life for granted by being too complacent,” say producers René Veilleux and Donald Roman Lopez.
Cast includes: Jason London, David Chokachi, Thea Gill, Heather Tom, Robert Maschio, Paul Diomede
Director/producer/writer: Allen Cognata
Producers: René Veilleux, Donald Roman Lopez, Verité Films, Los Angeles
DP: Rich Marino
Editor: Dino Marc Pascarelli, New York City
Colorist/Additional editing/Conform: Greg Huson, Secret HQ/Los Angeles
Postproduction sound: Devon Bowman, mix/sound design, Atlas Oceanic/ Los Angeles; Craig Jansson, additional sound design; Salami Studios/North Hollywood, additional post audio
Budget: $200,000
Acquisition format/camera: Sony F35 HD camera
Locations include: Winthrop, Manchester and Lewiston, Maine
Equipment rental: TCS/New York City
Film festivals: Debuted at Connecticut Film Festival; Philadelphia Independent Film Festival; KahBang! (Maine)
Award: Honorable Mention, Best Picture, Philadelphia Independent Film Festival
What inspired the production: “It was no surprise to me to find out that nearly six in ten American marriages end in divorce,” says director Allen Cognata. “What I found most intriguing was the state of the 40 percent of marriages that remained intact. The more I researched, and the more couples I interviewed, the quicker I came to the startling conclusion that more than half of these couples were actually miserable…So the question became, ‘why is marriage an 80-percent losing proposition?’” The biggest hurdles to financing: “We were financing in the first six months of 2009, during the financial crisis, so it was a bad time,” notes Veilleux. “Allen was key to raising the funds. His friends, family and coworkers bought units in the film — there was no one angel investor.” The biggest production challenge: “Finding accommodations in a town of less than 10,000 for the main talent from LA and most of the out-of-state crew,” recalls Veilleux. “We rented houses and shared rooms. This was a big movie by Winthrop’s standards, and we took over the town. Working around the weather was also tough. It rained 15 of the 18 shooting days.” The biggest postproduction challenge: “We thought we were done with post – the film looked good and sounded good,” says Veilleux. “Then the questions started to come [from sales reps and distributors], so we’re back doing a second round of post to make sure we meet all the requirements for both domestic and international delivery.” Lopez notes that, “finishing means budgeting for all the deliverables, everything that makes your film ready to sell or it won’t get out there.” How to get distributed: “The cast is really key to any film, the bankability of the names,” Veilleux reports. “Distributors and sales agents always ask, ‘Who’s in it?’ We’ve been lucky to get a lot of unsolicited email from sales reps who found us online, through festivals and IMDB. A lot are waiting to see the final cut; then we’ll start sending screeners and shopping the film around.” We couldn’t have made the film without: “The citizens of Winthrop,” the producers agree. “Everyone was supportive at every turn. Making a movie there was an exciting experience for them, and their contributions were absolutely priceless for us.” Lessons we’ll take to the next film: “We have three other features in development and are in production on a documentary,” Veilleux says. “We’ll make sure everything is included in the budget from the paper the script is written on to the final tape delivered to the sales agent. Account for everything or you’ll get stuck in postproduction purgatory, and after working so hard, no one wants to be in that place!” [Top] Jason London discovers he’s suffering from The Putt Putt Syndrome.
[Left] Shooting The Putt Putt Syndrome at Maranacook Lake, Winthrop, Maine on a rare sunny day. Photo by: Afton Grant
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The film: Refresh (www.refreshfilm.com) The genre: Short science-fiction thriller; 13 minutes
What it’s about: A wealthy but chronically unhappy businessman at the end of his rope hires a mysterious company that promises an effective – but irrevocable – solution to his problem.
What it’s really about: “How people can become so desperate leading lives they thought they wanted that they suddenly desire radical change,” says director David Orr.
What inspired the production: “The tableau and mood were inspired by a visit to a sleep-study clinic – a place where you spend the night monitored by video cameras and electric sensors attached to your body,” explains Orr. “I remember lying there in my pajamas, getting hooked up to a machine by an unfamiliar person, thinking, ’wow, this is just like a horror film!’ I began writing the next day.” The biggest hurdles to financing: “Keeping the budget low enough that I felt comfortable financing it myself. It was designed to be incredibly low budget. The Canon 5D required a lot less light, compared to RED, so I needed fewer people for grip and electric. We were able to shoot by supplementing available light and got a great look.” The biggest production challenge: “Finding a location in LA willing to let us film for next to nothing. My wife [producer Sharon Lineker] works in healthcare and found St. Barnabas which actually hosts wonderfully-curated movie nights at their facility, so they were really film friendly. Also, working with the 5D. When we shot [in May 2009] no one had used the camera for a narrative project, so we were pioneers. There was no one [with] quick and easy answers. Even Canon didn’t anticipate the camera being used this way.” The biggest postproduction challenge: “The 5D was so new it was difficult to know what was going to be possible: how 8-bit compressed footage might react to color correction — that kind of thing. We had difficultly doing conversions from 30 to 24 fps — a firmware upgrade allowing that frame rate was released after we wrapped. Based on early footage, Randal Kleiser invited me to be a panelist and screen excerpts for the DGA’s Digital Day. That became our test run, taking the process from the beginning through projection in the DGA’s Theater 1, one of the best rooms in the world. Even I wasn’t prepared for how great Refresh would look – like S16mm!” What’s next for Refresh: “The film is doing the festival circuit, and I’m on my second draft of a feature script for Refresh. I’m using the short along with my commercial reel as a showreel for feature, series and branded-content projects.” I couldn’t have made the film without: “The strong support of family and friends. As for the core group, when Christopher [Willoughby] and Andrew [Turman] told me they were interested I knew I’d be able to accomplish the project. A shout out to West EFX and Erick Brennan who did a great job on the practical fire and mask effects.” Lessons I’ll take to the next film: “One of the things I learned early as a commercial director and which was reiterated with this film was the importance of prep. We tested everything ahead of time and did run-throughs all the way down the pipeline.”
Cast includes: Steven Culp, Scott Michael Campbell
Director/producer/writer: David Orr
Producers: Paul Papanek, Sharon Lineker
DP: Andrew Turman
Editor: Christopher Willoughby
Colorist/HD conform: Jim Bohn, Liquid/Venice, California
Postproduction sound: Jeff Levy, mixer, Margarita Mix/Santa Monica
Music: John Hill, composer, original score; 8MM band, end theme
Budget: Under $10,000
Acquisition format/camera: HD video-enabled Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR
Locations: St. Barnabas Senior Center and S. Mark Taper Foundation Adult Day Care Center, Los Angeles
Equipment rental: CAMTEC/Burbank (camera and accessories); Tomzilla/Burbank (grip and electric)
Film festivals: Premiered at Vail Film Festival; Newport Beach Film Festival; LA Shortsfest
[Top] Stephen Culp stars in Refresh as an unhappy businessman who finds an effective – but irrevocable – solution to his problem.
[Right] Director David Orr discusses Stephen Culp’s eyeline in Refresh.
www.markeemag.com
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Spotlight
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Northeast
Fine-tuning Production’s Economic Engine BY MARK R. SMITH
[Above] Daytime drama One Life to Live on location at the historic Nevius Street Bridge in Hillsborough, NJ.
[Above Right] Director M. Night Shyamalan (left, in maroon shirt), lead actor Noah Ringer and crew shooting The Last Airbender in the hangar at the Philadelphia Naval Yard. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
[Right] Martin Scorsese’s upcoming HBO series, Boardwalk Empire, about Prohibition-era Atlantic City, shot at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn and on a 300-foot boardwalk set built on the Brooklyn waterfront in Greenpoint. Photo courtesy of Craig Blankenhorn/HBO
[Far Right] A colorful gallery in Wilmington, Delaware’s Art Loop.
Despite the recession, most state legislatures are still in tune with the importance of offering tax incentives to production — even though state tax revenues have taken a big hit in the past year. 38
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[Above] Shooting along the Brandywine River in New Castle County, Delaware.
[Left]
[Above]
The Nicolas Cage feature The Sorcerer’s Apprentice shooting in downtown Jersey City, NJ.
Grouchy, Papa and Clumsy Smurf in Times Square in Columbia Pictures’ The Smurfs. Kaufman Astoria Studios was the liveaction home for the production. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Animation. 2010 CTMG, Inc. All rights reserved.
[Middle Top] The feature The Road, starring Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron, shot in several western Pennsylvania counties.
That’s why New York is targeting an increase for its till this year, Pennsylvania has restored its pool after a dip in funding and New Jersey expects to reinstate incentives after a suspension. Even Delaware, which has never had a film office, is trying to get into the game having run the numbers and seen what an economic driver production can be.
New York: Big City, Big State, Big Numbers The news is bright — and the numbers considerable — in New York, which runs a program that has been “very successful,” according to Pat Swinney, executive director of the New York Governor’s Office of Motion Pictures and TV Development. That’s due to the state offering 30 percent of a film’s below-the-line budget as a refundable tax credit. The incentive calls for producers to “shoot the project, finish in post, then get their money when they finish.” How well has it worked? “We had $350 million in our fund for this past fiscal year, and we’ve already gone through it,” Swinney says. “We’re just waiting for the new budget to be passed.” Due in April, the new budget just passed at press time. It will include $420 million in tax incentives for each of the next five years and “will be retroactive to April 1 [the start of the fiscal year in New York] in our case,” she reports. One reason Swinney is optimistic is last year’s report card: The economic impact of the film business was $1.65 billion for 98 projects in New York state (New York City has been offering a 5-percent additional rebate, too; Gotham is also waiting for the www.markeemag.com
From the Moon to the Stars at Grumman Studios What other stage can say the lunar module and Space Shuttle wings were built on the premises? Once a former aerospace plant, Grumman Studios, LLC in Bethpage, Long Island (www.grummanstudios.com) has “a lot of history behind us,” says president Parviz Farahzad. The 30-acre site opened last year with seven stages, the largest at 37,000 squarefeet; full support services; extensive parking; ample power; and unique 15-ton gantries. The Angelina Jolie spy thriller, Salt, used the stages and built an elevator shaft and the White House gates outdoors where they also hoisted a helicopter on a crane. Grumman Studios (Stage 3 pictured) is 25 miles from midtown Manhattan and minutes from Long Island’s Gold Coast with its mansions and beaches; an on-site helipad is planned. Numerous
commercials have discovered the space, including a Sony spot with Justin Timberlake and Peyton Manning. “We’re in negotiations now for a major motion picture that would occupy all seven stages starting in October,” Farahzad reports.
White Lake Music & Post Expands With New Facility Specializing in original music, audio production and post for film, TV and a variety of media, Albany, New York’s White Lake Music & Post (www.whitelake music.com) is completing a $2 million facility boasting three Digidesign Pro Tools HD editing/ voiceover suites and a large recording studio with Pro Tools HD and large-frame ICON D-Control console (pictured). “We’re beginning to see an increasing number of clients from metro New York coming upstate for post and music,” reports president/creative director David Bourgeois who also runs VoiceCoaches. “It’s a risk to put a facility like this together, but we see so many potential positives.” Clients include government, independent filmmakers, producers and broadcasters, such as Discovery Network, TLC, WE Network and HGTV. Bourgeois is also partnered with actor Evan Farmer in Bourgeois Farmer, a TV production company with six concept and docu-soap format shows in development. July/August 2010
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Nola Salutes AfriCOBRA for TV Land At New York City’s Nola Pictures (www.nolapictures.com) CDs/directors Juan Delcan and Kenny Morrison teamed with TV Land creatives to produce and post a multi-platform promotional campaign for AfriCOBRA (the African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists) that aired on the network and its website during Black History month. AfriCOBRA grew out of the late 1960s’ Wall of Respect mural in Chicago created by AfricanAmerican artists to honor the era’s black heroes and leaders. Nola crafted two short docs and three interstitials about the commune blending stills, testimonials, news footage and the artists’ colorful canvases. “Juan, Kenny and the TV Land crew connected with the artists and
painted a portrait of a movement, the times and the inspiration that led to the artistic expression,” says Nola executive producer Charlie Curran. In other news, Nola is growing its commercial directors’ roster signing director Nick Lewin and director/cinematographer John Osborne.
Studio City New Jersey Debuts A dream of Shelton Minor’s for nine years, the 85,000 square-foot Studio City New Jersey complex (www.studio citynj.com) opened in Trenton last May. Boasting a 10,000 square-foot dividable main stage with one of the largest greenscreen stages in the state, a 60seat screening room, a 1,750 squarefoot photography studio and editing suites, Studio City is located in a gated warehouse community whose streets may be used for backlots. A recording studio is under construction, lighting rentals and industry training are planned, and there’s room to build a “Hollywood-style soundstage,” says Minor. “We want to be able to handle any type of production. We don’t want to give anyone an excuse not to come here.” Studio City has already hosted the indie feature Changing The Game, short films For I Have Sinned and Budget Bank Robbers and music videos; it’s negotiating for Paul Sorvino’s indie feature slated for production this fall.
Banner Year at The Light House A motion-picture lighting equipment company with a studio in Branchburg, New Jersey, The Light House (www.light houselights.com) is celebrating its highest profit margins since the company incorporated in 1993. “The work is there. It’s just harder to find, and you have to be aggressive to get it,” reports president Sandy McDonough. “The addition of new partner Jon Roemer has helped us significantly increase productivity and reinvest funds in every aspect of the company,” he notes. “Our diversification is what separates us from our competitors -- from equipment rentals and generators to our motion-picture studio with set design, millwork and props -- we are able to provide quality
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budget process to conclude before they make their next move). Films lensed in the state that hit the big screen recently include The Sorcerer’s Apprentice with Nicolas Cage; Salt starring Angelina Jolie; Eat, Pray, Love with Julia Roberts; and The Other Guys pairing Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. Also, The Smurfs wrapped recently and the remake of Arthur is in production, as is the indie, My Idiot Brother. On the small screen, major TV productions include 30 Rock (NBC), The Good Wife (CBS), Gossip Girls (The CW), White Collar (USA Network; see Locations feature this issue), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC), Damages (FX and now DirecTV’s 101 Network), Nurse Jackie (Showtime), Royal Pains (USA) the long-running Sesame Street (PBS) and Martin Scorsese’s new HBO series, Boardwalk Empire. The studio scene hops in New York like few other places. “There are five or so [studios] in Manhattan. We must have 27 throughout the five boroughs, and most of them have multiple soundstages,” says Swinney, who notes that Kaufman Astoria Studios, an industry institution, just opened a new stage at its Astoria Queens location (see Markee, May/June Soundstages feature). Most studio complexes are concentrated in Queens and Brooklyn because they have access to more real estate, but there are more than a dozen outside the five boroughs (see Grumman Studios’ profile on page 39). If Swinney sounds appreciative of her state’s riches it’s because she is. “We are very grateful that the governor and the legislature have been so supportive of the industry and recognize that it’s an important economic engine for the state of New York.”
Location, Credits, Impact New Jersey
service to clients such as HBO, Showtime, NFL films and pharmaceutical firms Sanofi-Aventis and Johnson & Johnson.” The Light House is presently in its fifth season supplying lighting and grip equipment for HBO/NFL’s Hard Knocks series, this year featuring The New York Jets.
July/August 2010
The New Jersey Motion Picture & TV Commission is in an odd place, figuratively speaking: While the state suspended its tax incentive program for 2011, executive director Steven Gorelick has reason to hope that his office can make up for the interruption next year. As in many states, the film office is trying to assuage nervous legislators, so production companies can’t redeem tax credits this fiscal year (which began July 1) — but they can after next June 30, when fiscal 2012 begins. “So they can still film here and take advantage of our seven percent sales tax exemption,” Gorelick says, noting that the fiscal 2010 cap stood at $10 million for film and TV, with $5 million more
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NFL Films’ TruMark Trilogy
for digital technology (e.g., animation and VFX, A moody, atmospheric piano track streaming or website development), with an and a high-contrast film technique economic impact of about $132 million for calwere key to an impactful, three-spot endar 2009. campaign lensed and edited by Mt. Laurel, New Jersey’s NFL Films In addition, if a project encompasses $2 mil(www.nflfilms.com) for TruMark Finanlion in qualified digital expenditures and results cial Credit Union. in at least 10 full-time jobs, the production comNFL director Jonathan Klein and executive producer Marie Patriarca pany gets a 20-percent tax credit. tapped composer Tom Hedden for the Armed with the impact numbers, legislation three :30 spots written and developed was introduced last November to increase the by DMW Worldwide/Wayne, Pennsylvania. After shooting a significant film and TV cap to $50 million and the digital number of format tests, NFL Films’ cap to $10 million. The next legislative session senior cinematographer Brian T. Murstarts in September. ray selected 35mm Kodak 5217 film stock to capture nuanced, frozen-inDuring the past year, Hollywood lensed parts time footage. Klein and Murray decidof movies in New Jersey, including The Sorcerer’s ed on a 2:35 aspect ratio to give the Apprentice with Nicolas Cage for Disney and Wall campaign cinematic presence. The spots were cut by NFL editor Street: Money Never Sleeps with Michael Douglas Mark Christy on Apple’s Final Cut Pro and Shia LeBeouf (both shot in Jersey City), The HD and Autodesk Inferno; Chris PepBounty Hunter with Gerard Butler and Jennifer perman added a bleach bypass look and performed extensive color correcAniston for Columbia (Atlantic City), and Just tion on the DaVinci Spirit. “The spots Wright with New Jersey’s own Queen Latifah and have a texture, depth and clarity that Common (East Rutherford). is plush and poetic,” Klein reports. Success on the small screen has been about reality shows, like the infamous Jersey Shore (of course) on MTV, Real Housewives of New Jersey on Bravo! and Cake Boss on TLC. NBC’s now-cancelled medical drama Mercy shot in Secaucus and, until recently, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit shot in North Bergen for 11 years. Also dotting the roster were “so many spots that we can hardly list them all,” says Gorelick. Advertisers such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Wal-Mart and Wendy’s were among the 330 spots that employed the services of the film office in 2009. During the next legislative session, Gorelick will have more than credits and numbers on his side as he makes a case for increasing incentives. New Jersey’s studio presence is growing with Ironbound opening in Newark this fall, Studio City New Jersey (see profile on page 40) launching in Trenton last May and Media Mix opening in Allendale last year. Media Mix already hosted Paramount’s Morning Glory, which stars Harrison Ford and hits screens in September.
A Tough (But Successful) Sell for Pennsylvania In completing its fiscal 2009-10 financial report, the Pennsylvania Film Office reported that strong numbers were generated from its $42 million tax incentive offering. It tallied an economic impact of $344 million, with no multipliers; a direct spend of about $168 million; and the creation of more than 2,300 jobs. Just think what might have happened with the state’s usual $75 million pool, which was almost halved — temporarily, anyway. Still, office director Jane Saul says, www.markeemag.com
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Przyborski Goes Bilingual for AutoZone
“We were very happy to even have it because there was considerable concern that we might A bilingual English and Spanlose it.” ish quartet of versions of a national AutoZone spot was That plummet in funding was due, of recently produced and posted course, to the recession. Despite those happy by Pittsburgh’s Przyborski Prototals, there were still numerous politicians ductions (www.przyborski.com) for the Memphis-based autowho didn’t understand how the incentive motive retailer via agency works and favored cutting the funding even Sponge/Chicago. more, and altogether in some cases. “It was designed for the do-ityourselfer,” says executive pro“We had to take many legislators on tours ducer Jimmy DeVincentis. The of sets so they would see and understand how commercial depicts a man this all works,” says Saul. “Many people working in his garage who has an old car part in his hand when he suddenly turns around to find himself in the store, getting advice -- and the correct part -- from an “AutoZoner.” believe that the incentives are about luring When he gets just what he was looking for, he turns around again -- and is suddenly back celebrities here to shoot a film. But we in his garage. Director Glenn Przyborski shot the spot with a Sony F900R Cine Alta HD camshowed them how much work the producera and edited it on Apple’s Final Cut Pro HD; John Przyborski added the VFX. tions entail.” She spoke of features Love and Other Drugs from FOX, Warrior from Lion’s Gate and the state’s biggest recent coup, Unstoppable, which stars Denzel Washington and was directed by Tony Scott. All Philadelphia’s Shootwere shot around Pittsburgh and Central Pennsylvania; ers Post & Transfer (www.shootersinc.com) Pittsburgh has three features shooting now: Taylor recently completed ediLautner’s Abduction for Lion’s Gate, One for the Money startorial and VFX on spots ring Katherine Heigl. and I Am Number Four. The film The for lacrosse equipment brands Brine and WarRoad, starring Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron, also rior created by Team lensed in several western Pennsylvania counties. Detroit, a joint venture Back east in Philadelphia and surrounding counties, feaof WPP’s Detroit-based agencies. The spots were shot on the RED camera by Phasmatrope Studios of tures include The Last Airbender from M. Night Shyamalan, Haverford, Pennsylvania. who was raised in Philadelphia, The Lovely Bones and the Shooters’ editor David Oberdoester and VFX supervisor Ed Mendez (of DIVE, upcoming romantic comedy, Everything You’ve Got, starring Shooters’ VFX and film-finishing division) joined forces on “LAXman,” a :30 spot for Brine which celebrates the ferocious elegance of lacrosse. Shot on Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson and Jack greenscreen, it features athletes clad in green suits and hoods performing Nicholson. On the small screen, a reality show starring Tony their signature moves. The Warrior campaign, “LAXman2025,” consisted of a Danza, Teach, was lensed in Philadelphia’s public school sys:30 spot and two :15 image spots showcasing the frenetic, “skate punk” aesthetic of the brand (pictured). Oberdoester cut with an Avid MC and Autodesk tem and the FX sitcom It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia shoots Inferno/Smoke; Mendez composited inhouse and on set with Adobe Photoexteriors in the city. shop and Lacquer Conduit. Other Pennsylvania TV credits are Food Network’s Food Feud and Chef vs. City and the NBC pilot, Outlaw.
Shooters Scores With Team Detroit, Phasmatrope
Monster Tracks Pens An American Tune When Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center and agency Holton Sentivan + Gury needed appropriate musical accompaniment for the new “Art of the American Soldier” exhibit, the agency approached Monster Tracks, a division of Philadelphia’s Baker Sound, with a video for inspiration. “The first part of the project is a two-minute trailer, and we were asked to provide an orchestral-type track that has a military feel to it,” says music director Chuck Butler, “like an austere-sounding trumpet with the low rumble of drums — like canon fire in the distance.” Butler composed the score on MOTU’s Digital Performer, creating digital samples that were accentuated by live trumpet, flute, viola, bass, violin and cello performances. Next for Monster Tracks (www.monstertracks.com) is a four-minute version that will play while museumgoers queue up at the exhibit.
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Looking at infrastructure, Mogul Mind studio has been key to production in Pittsburgh. Island Studios in McKees Rocks, which has also hosted major filmmakers, added a second soundstage last year and acquired support space in nearby Sheraden. Ground has been broken for Sun Center Studios in Philadelphia, which will be built by Pacific Adventures, the developer of New Mexico’s Albuquerque Studios. The business “we have is almost all thanks to the tax credit,” reports Saul. And she has good news to share. “Our incentive funding dropped to $60 million in 2008-09 and $42 million last fiscal year, but next year we’ll be back to $75 million.”
Delaware Joins Film-Incentive Hopefuls
Watermark Revs Up for Dover Among recent projects at Watermark Productions in Milford, Delaware (www.water mark-productions.com) is a :30 spot for Dover Motor Sports and its three NASCAR races at Dover International Speedway. With big September meets coming up, the client “wanted something to break through the clutter on a small budget,” says president Bill Sammons. Watermark built the commercial around five seconds of supplied NASCAR footage that it enhanced with several stills. Editor/animator Josh Sammons used Adobe Photoshop to “pull out” certain elements, such as an image of driver Danica Patrick (pictured) that dimensionalizes her, her car and the background. Apple’s Final Cut Pro HD and Adobe After Effects were employed for the finish. Watermark’s key market is usually corporate, but it’s been “mostly spots this past year, especially with the upcoming elections,” says Bill Sammons. Some political work emanates from Alfano Communications in nearby Washington, D.C.
There are 47 states in the U.S. that have some semblance of a film incentive program. Delaware is not among them. That’s why State Rep. Tom Kovach sponsored House Bill 490, which was introduced this past June after similar House Bill 250, which he sponsored, didn’t receive action in June 2009. “The new bill has been fine tuned but was created with the same general idea,” Kovach says. “It would initiate a pilot program where we would have $15 million in loans available to the industry to facilitate production.” As it stands, the incentive can offer no more than 30 percent of the loan. In addition, Kovach also sets up a three-year interest escrow fund to allow any film shot in Delaware to be made, released and distributed in North America and beyond. “Any state property used in production would serve as collateral for the loan program. We would also have a film guarantee fund that would be used instead of the property in the unlikely event of default,” he explains. He notes that New Mexico, for example, has loaned $270 million to production companies — and is zero dollars in default.
Teleduction is Spot-On with MEAC/SWAC Challenge A :30 image spot for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, a Division II football clash between Delaware State University and Southern University set to air September 5 on ESPN Plus, is among recent work at 34-year old production and post house Teleduction (www.teleduction .com) in Wilmington, Delaware. “It was challenging to boil the attributes of this historic black college down to 30 seconds,” says director Sharon Baker who picked “four words -- tradition, innovation, diversity, achievement -- to examine the essence and history of Delaware State University.” The project was shot on widescreen Digital Betacam by DP Pascal Dieckmann (pictured), cut on the Sony Vegas by senior editor Julie Pfeifenroth and sent digitally to LA’s www.markeemag.com
FILMLOOK for color correction and processing; Teleduction also handled music and voiceover. “We created a kind of drama that was more cinematic and narrative and contrasted with the traditional style of television sports coverage,” Baker reports. July/August 2010
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Cornerstone Shares the News From Perdue A staple of the Delaware production scene, Cornerstone Media Productions in Georgetown (www.corner stonemedia.com), has enjoyed a long, productive relationship with Salisbury, Maryland-based Perdue Farms. “Every year I fly all over the south to different plants to shoot a series of internal state-of-the-business videos,” says Cornerstone owner Rick Greenberg. “The videos allow the corporation’s executives to share company-wide goings on with their managers and employees.” Greenberg (pictured) lenses the videos with a Panasonic HDX900 HD camcorder at plants and offices in Georgia and the Carolinas and at Perdue’s headquarters near Cornerstone’s home base. He acquires content with a crew of five freelancers and edits the videos on a DPS Velocity HD system with effects created with Adobe After Effects and Photoshop. Cornerstone and Perdue are so intertwined that Greenberg’s gang handles “all of the corporation’s work, aside from the national spots.”
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Kovach’s interest in setting up a film incentive fund for Delaware started when he met local filmmakers Brian Sowards and Chris Stout and learned what strong incentive packages have done for many other states. At that point, Kovach met with anyone he could talk to — politicians, business owners, creatives — to try to explain the financial punch that incentive packages have provided to many states. “This is a way to create high-paying jobs and pump money into the state economy, whether it’s by employing state residents or professionals coming in from elsewhere to work on a movie,” he says. “The crew that comes here to work spends money on goods and services while they’re here.” Kovach, however, understands the difficulties in passing such a bill in today’s economic climate. “All states are extra-budget conscious,” he concedes, “and if you just throw money into the industry without a proper game plan, it won’t work.” While Delaware has never had a full-time film commissioner, Kovach thinks the time is right for one. “This is an econ-development opportunity,” he emphasizes, “for any state that does it right.”
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In the
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TOMMY-TRACK TRIPOD DOLLY GIVES SHOOTERS OPTIONS Designed by Vermont filmmakers James R. Heltz and Tom Haney for shooters everywhere, the tommy-TRACK tripod-top camera tube dolly has made its debut in 36- and 24-inch versions. Heltz, who owns Williston, Vermont’s Green Mountain Video, got the idea for tommy-TRACK when he found himself shooting corporate videos in close quarters and wishing he could do a dolly shot. He brainstormed with colleague Haney who built a tommyTRACK for Heltz to put to the test. “It really worked great; it was a very professional piece of equipment. We felt other filmmakers might be interested, so we refined the design and are now marketing tommy-TRACK nationwide and in Canada,” Heltz reports. The cost-effective tommy-TRACK takes the dolly off the ground and puts it onto the tripod. Portable, versatile, rugged and easy to set up, it’s made of aircraft-grade aluminum and steel and built for use in offices, labs, factories, homes, on stairs, in vehicles, on scissorlifts, in the outdoors, on snow, in the
water – anywhere a traditional camera dolly can’t do the job. “It opens up a lot of options that filmmakers normally don’t have,” Heltz explains. He finds the 36-inch version of tommy-TRACK to be “ideal” for most applications. “On a nice, solid tripod it will hold rock steady when you go end to end,” he notes. The smaller twofoot version is small enough to leave on the tripod during shooting. “You never have to take it off,” he says. “The other day a filmmaker who normally uses a tube dolly told me how amazed he was at the big move he could create with the 36-inch tommy-TRACK,” Heltz reveals. “It also saves a lot of time and allows filmmakers to move quickly. It takes just minutes to set up instead of halfan-hour or more with a floor dolly, especially on uneven surfaces.”
To see tommy-TRACK in action visit www.youtube.com/greenmountainvideo and click on the tommy-TRACK demo 2010. The Vermont-made tommyTRACK comes with a carrier, 36- or 24inch track bed and bubble level.
SAINTS LA OPENS; COMPLETES EFFECTS-INTENSIVE KODAK PRINTER CAMPAIGN Industry veterans Mark Larranaga and Zach Kinney have launched SAINTS LA, a VFX, design and motion-graphics boutique, in downtown Los Angeles (www.saintsvfx.com). The new company will specialize in visual imagery for TV commercials, features, TV programs, promos, web content, video games and music videos. SAINTS LA’s debut job was an effectsintensive three-spot campaign from
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Deutsch/NY designed to spotlight the cost-effective operation of Kodak printers. “Overspend” features a row of generic printers, each machine counting down and spinning numbers like a large odometer. “Bleeding Wallet” starts to leak ink from its sides – a feeling many consumers can identify with. And “Printing Money” turns a wallet into a printer churning out $20 bills. All of the spots were shot motion control by director Thomas Cobb of the Thomas Cobb Group and incorporate mechanically-designed props and custom printers. “Trying to shoot everything in-camera turned out some amazing photography,” says Larranaga.
“However, there was still a large amount of work that we had to accomplish in post. We had the creative job of mixing and matching motion-control passes to find the ones that worked best, compositing the spots to perfection and adding some 3D elements.” At SAINTS LA Larranaga and Kinney were the VFX supervisors, Estée Ochoa VFX producer, Marla Barnet Carter Flame artist and Harry Paakkonen 3D supervisor. Paul Middlemiss was the executive producer and Rob Bradley producer for the Thomas Cobb Group. July/August 2010
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NAILGUN* ANIMATES NICKTOONS ID PACKAGE Nailgun*, the New York-based motion-graphics and live-action studio (www.nailgun.tv), nailed it with a package of four :10 dynamic, cinema-style, animated IDs for the boy-centric kids’ cablenet, Nicktoons. The network recently underwent a major redesign and “wanted us to take it to another place with these identities,” nailgun* creative director Michael Waldron reports.
The unifying concept behind Thunder, Popcorn Type, Glacier Cave and Pull The Carpet (pictured) is an expansive, largerthan-life world where adventure lurks just beneath the surface. “This project allowed us to flex our 3D muscles,” says director of editorial and animation Erik van der Wilden, whose team used animation to tell “a visceral story with a beginning, middle and end.”
POST HASTE SOUND OPENS SECOND LA FACILITY Los Angeles-based Post Haste Sound (www.posthastesound.com) has opened the doors of its second audio post facility, a 9,000 square-foot studio in West Hollywood housing five editing suites, Foley and ADR stages, a dubbing theater, green room and more. The new facility enables the company to extend its commentary, The Main Theater in Post Haste Sound’s new ADR and voice over services and signifi- West Hollywood facility. cantly expand its capabilities for mixing “The demand for remastering into first-run theatrical and TV projects. new formats such as 7.1 has absolutely Founded in 2003, Post Haste Sound exploded,” says Post Haste Sound cospecializes in Blu-ray and DVD remasterfounder Allan Falk. “With it, studios need ing, audio restoration, editing and digital to remaster older content to meet the migration for feature films and television aesthetics that today’s audiences expect. and includes 20th Century FOX, MGM, We’ve always had the talent and technolSony, Warner Bros. and HBO among its ogy to deliver what our clients required, clients. The West Hollywood facility will and our new facility gives us the capacity meet studios’ growing demand for largeto offer these services on a larger scale scale analog-to-digital library migration and and to fully post produce first-run projdigital-to-digital content migration from ects. It also gives our clients a high-end antiquated formats such as DASH and environment in which to experience the DA-88 tapes. results of our work.” The new studio features a large theThe company’s original Santa Monica atrical dubbing stage, five Digidesign Pro facility continues to provide a full compleTools editing suites, a spacious ADR ment of audio and video post services. stage, fully-equipped Foley stage, comfortable green room and secure vault. It supports Post Haste Sound’s services for audio restoration and 7.1 remastering as well as Dolby E encoding, Dolby TrueHD and DTSMA encoding, M&E creation and augmentation, music replacement, full video servSmith (left), senior mixer and lead remastering ices, and archival and Randall engineer, and Allan Falk, Post Haste Sound co-founder, on preservation services. Stage One in the new West Hollywood facility. 46
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STORMSTOCK CAPTURES HD FOOTAGE OF BP OIL-SPILL DISASTER
The StormStock team (www.storm stock.com) at Arlington, Texas’s Prairie Pictures found itself in the midst of the headlines this summer shooting HD footage of the BP oil-spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The material is “a natural addition to the StormStock collection considering our history of capturing Gulf-related disasters like [Hurricane] Katrina,” says Prairie Pictures president Martin Lisius. Clips available for licensing include aerial footage of fire and smoke billowing from the BP Deepwater Horizon rig (pictured), oil slicks on Gulf waters, contaminated beaches, clean up efforts and a fly-over with Florida Governor Charlie Crist.
Film • Video • Animation • Audio • Locations • People
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Inside View
STEELE studios | by Christine Bunish
Jo Steele Executive producer/co-founder STEELE studios, Culver City, California • www.steelevfx.com Markee: You’ve had a busy summer with Shakira’s “Waka Waka” music video for the official FIFA World Cup song and Lady Gaga’s “Alejandro” music video inhouse simultaneously. Ms. Steele: “STEELE was asked to come on board by [director] Marcus Raboy of DNA to handle all the post effects, conform, online, beauty, stereo convergence and mastering for ‘Waka Waka.’ It was an impossibly tight timetable made all the more complicated by the need to deliver different 2D and 3D versions on opposing schedules; the client, Sony Music, wanted to represent the piece for the duration of the World Cup in their 3D pavilion there and in point-of-sale demonstrations worldwide for Bravia 3D TVs. When completing effects and beauty in 3D it is imperative that the work done on one eye match the other so many more hours were spent ensuring that pen strokes and composites were identical. “Then, for the gorgeous 8.5-minute ‘Alejandro’ by Lady Gaga, STEELE did the HD online/conform, beauty, additional color correction and a lot of effects. There were 13 artists working around the clock to complete all the rotoscoping, compositing and beauty. The video was directed by [photographer] Steven Klein who had a very particular vision and knew exactly what he wanted to achieve throughout the project. The imagery was dramatic and engaging but, again, this project had an almost impossibly tight deadline and STEELE artists were hard-pressed to complete the work in time.” Markee: Did “Waka Waka’s” 3D pose special challenges for STEELE? Ms. Steele: “There were not a lot of challenges in terms of the actual 3D. 48
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The convergence was set in camera and only minor manipulation in post was necessary. All the VFX, including crowd replication in 3D space and additional color correction, were completed in our Quantel Pablo, the best machine for the job — it made the management of the data and the project very simple. The challenges came mostly from the different parties brought together for the project. Everyone is somewhat new to 3D so a lot of time was spent explaining requirements and getting parties to understand new pipelines and conditions that aren’t present in the world of 2D finishing.” Markee: Are you seeing more stereo 3D projects? Ms. Steele: “We are now getting calls regularly for stereo 3D. Some people need costs and information, but we also have several projects booked. It’s a very exciting time for us! We have been involved in the 3D ‘movement’ for years now, doing tests for the studios, helping vendors with their development. Now we are seeing a ton of active production happening in the industry. No doubt, 3D is the future and will be as commonplace as HD is to us now.” Markee: How has STEELE evolved since you and your husband Jerry launched it in 1996? Ms. Steele: “We have tried to maintain a boutique-style operation since the beginning, but we’ve been through some dramatic changes seeing formats come and go: analog to digital, SD to HD, now 2D to 3D. We have always tried to stay ahead of the tech-
nology and have been very successful using Quantel hardware with their allencompassing machines. Our artists are trained to approach any project from many different directions utilizing developing techniques and many different platforms, but the Quantel boxes remain our workhorses and the staple of our operation.” Markee: What’s next at STEELE? Ms. Steele: “We’re just finishing the HD conform/online, color, VFX, titles and mastering for the indie film Dead Awake; a music video for Sugarland; a stereo 3D music video; and a commercial for Vizio LCD HDTVs.” Markee: What’s the secret of STEELE’s success, especially during economic hard times? Ms. Steele: “Diversity, diversity, diversity! Our services are endless. That’s been our saving grace during these rough times. But since we are independently owned, we’ve also had the ability to be flexible in our services and do more for less, unlike most who have huge overheads. We have always respected our clients and never treated them as a ‘number.’ It seems to me that the notion ‘service with a smile’ or the ‘client comes first’ has diminished in these times, but it’s very much alive at STEELE.”
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