Third Cut Done? A-ffirm-a-tive.

Hey there folks. 

Just wanted to keep you updated…

Finished the third cut of the movie last week. This was the first one where I actually cut some scenes. Nothing major. Just little parts of scenes and a transitional scene or two that didn’t seem necessary… more material for the DVD!!!

On this next and perhaps final cut, that is the one where I’ll need to slaughter some beauties – i.e. cut out a beloved scene or two if it isn’t central to the story. I’m a big believer in pacing. Movies are an emotional art form in my opinion. People often read books to think. They see paintings to see something beautiful. They watch movies, first and foremost, to feel. Whether you’re feeling exhilarated by an action sequence, laughing at Ben Stiller or crying your eyes out at the end of Remains of The Day, people go to the cinema to be moved. That’s my take, anyway. I’m riffing here. This is a blog, not a term paper. So don’t expect documentation. But the pacing is so important to the emotional state of the audience because they are only invested if they’re continually interested…

Anywho, as the scenes of the film are now cut together pretty much to my satisfaction, I’m now looking to the big picture – how the film works as a whole and what I feel the pulse rate will be of the audience as they watch. Got to keep them perked up in those seats, munching popcorn and swept along by the story. Then I’ve done my job.

I’m aiming to lock picture by the end of June. “Locking picture” means the content of the film doesn’t change. The shots and their lengths are locked in… from that point on we go to our post houses to do all the post work to image and sound and nothing can change at that point so that they can do their work… 

I think it’s safe to announce at this point that we’re doing our image work on the film at the wonderful DIVE, based out of Shooters in Philly… they’ve been incredibly supportive and awesome and I can’t wait to see the magic they’ll work on the film. We’re very lucky to have them on board considering out budget.

Next week I should be able to tell you about our sound post house AND I should have some exciting news about the music for the film… things have been developing, and I don’t think I can make it public yet. But I’m very excited.

Last, and maybe least, we didn’t get into the IFP rough cut lab. Cue the violins. I’m sure some wonderful films did and there are so many factors that go into the committee’s decisions and it is so competitive that it’s not even worth thinking about too much. I think we have a great film and I’m psyched to be so close, at last, to showing it to the world…

As for this post’s title? I’m a Conchords fan… what can I say?

Cheers all,

Ben