OMG it's Finished

Wow. What an intense, wonderful experience. I can't believe how much I learned this semester. I can't wait to see what it feels like once the information has settled into my body. I am really surprised by how much I enjoyed the graphic design part of the course. I'm inspired to take some more classes in that direction to further my skills. I am almost really happy with the way my final project turned out. The class was very supportive today when they insisted that I was being to hard on myself. I will admit that isn't the first time anyone has said that. It's not that I'm beating myself up saying I should have done better, it's just that I can see where things could be better, and where my skill set needs improvement.
I also learned that I really like the more artistic area's of production, and part of me wishes I had chosen to do a narrative. I look forward to the time where I can explore the narrative more. 
It was really nice to see everyone's work today. I was really impressed by all of the work that everyone did, and the varied styles and content. 
All in all this was a fabulous experience, and my favorite class so far at Brooklyn College.

making a website

I don't know what it is about making a website that gets me so excited! I have never been so pleased with myself. When ever I click the "put" button and then check the interweb and see my design live I freak out! 
So far I understand almost half of what I'm doing. It's sinking in the more I try, but the process is slow. I still don't really know what's going on over in the html box. Thank goodness that I don't really need to know to make.
I need to figure out a couple of simple things. The blank black page being one of them. So simple yet, I so don't remember.

editing....ugh.

I wish I would have log and captured every clip. But no lazy me. Had too much to do while it was capturing, couldn't be bothered to sit and log each clip. Ugh. I really f*d things up. Now I'm having a horrible time of editing. Going in and and making individual clips sucks! 
I'm also having a hard time figuring out where to cut and where not to cut. It's really hard to cut it so that it goes smooth. I like editing abstract things so much better. This hard people! 

feeling good

I know, I know. I haven't posted in forever. The honest truth is that the semester really started taking off and I became so wrapped up in the actual work that reporting on the work was pushed aside. But I am here to report that I am learning and it is intense. For those of you who know me personally, you know that I really dig intense. It's part of who I am. I hope that someday I get less of thrill from it because it's really hard to sustain. 

Today we presented our Movie Poster's to the class. I really didn't like mine at first. But after some tweaking it's beginning to grow on me. What I find really exciting is my comprehension of the Photoshop program. I would say that I have a basic understanding of how its works and I actually have begun to enjoy playing around with it. I'm looking forward to the next phase of the project WeB DeSiGn! BRING IT!

don't give up

My sweet Italian friend emailed me today to ask me how to translate something for a film she's dubbing in Rome. After she asked me to describe what a "porn package" at a motel is, she mentioned that she had been reading my blog, and noticed that I hadn't posted recently. She said, "don't give up." 
So to Serena, and my other dear readers, I haven't given up, I'm just pooped (and for Serena that means really freaking tired)

Trying to keep up the momentum after shooting has been rough. I'm exhausted and totally uninspired to edit, anything. And boy is there a lot to edit. I have a ton of work to do that I am not doing and most of it involves editing. What don't I like about editing? The solitude. The lack of outside stimulation. The tediousness of trying to figure out a program that I think hates me. 
What am I doing instead of editing? Watching Hulu on my fancy new computer that I bought to edit, and baking. Anyone want a slice of Walnut Pumpkin Bread, or perhaps some pumpkin bread pudding. How 'bout some squash or some homemade soup? The guilt makes it taste better than usual.

react and respond day

Today we watched each others trailer's and gave feedback. Screening days are my favorite. I was really impressed with everyone's effort. I'm thrilled to hear that we can take people's feedback and make the trailer better. I hate admitting this, but there were a few things I wanted to do in Final Cut that I couldn't figure out how to do. I think that with more time, and a possible tutorial somewhere, I could make the trailer what I REALLY wanted it to look like. I'm pretty proud of the work that I did considering my mental limitations. 
The feedback was really helpful. It was suggested that I add the sound of Dages talking in a couple of spots, clean up the titles( although it was a choice to have them "edgy" looking, now the challenge is to up the production level and keep it "edgy" at the same time) and cut the overall length, adding faster cuts throughout. 
I was really pleased when one of my classmates said that it looked, hip. (You can laugh at me) BUT I so wanted to make a hip cooking show about Kale, and if that came across at all, I'm stoked. 
Here's what some of my facespace friends said about the trailer:

Hallie

nice! I feel strangely tempted to knead some kale.

Zeb

I agree. That kale stirs up strange feelings that I didn't know I could have for cabbage. Wild cabbage.

Thomas

Nice Peppy beginning, really good energy.. Matches you well.

Jen

Love it!!! I want more!

Brian

Kale is wild cabbage?

Dages

looks fabulous drea! great work!!!

Myrrah

Love the energy! Great smiles, can`t wait for the dialogue.

Sheena

It looks awesome Drea!!! Love the MM wear in it!! 

trailer. done.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

the inevitably of mistakes

I heard somewhere that we need to embrace the inevitably of mistakes. That the only thing that we can count on is that we will make mistakes. The good thing about making mistakes is the learning that comes with them. As I go through the footage that I shot on Saturday my mistakes are glaring.
The first mistake that stands out is my choice to do a medium shot and a close up. I needed something inbetween the two. Also, I'm not 100 percent sure but I think that my medium(cowboy)shot is out of focus. The next mistake was my lack of direction with the second camera. I didn't explain to the second camera operator that zooming is not a good idea. The shots are SO "zoomy" that they are almost unusable. I also didn't communicate well enough with what I wanted from her. I wanted edgy shots of the food as it was being prepared. She gave me medium shots of the host with the light in the shot making it totally unusable.
I'm also concerned about the audio. There are several times when the host's hair brushes the microphone and a loud wind sound happens.
The shirt. Oh the shirt. The shirt that I love and looked great on Dages, made funny lines on the screen. Yep. It looks alive. I kind of remember hearing something way back when about stripes and video. Like don't wear stripes on video cause they look alive. I'm hoping that final cut pro can help me.

Next time I will need to be more in control of every detail. I wish that I had a better understanding of the camera. It's staring to click, but its a slow boat. I have learned more in the last month than I have in years, and my brain is freaking out. I also wish that I was better at math. I feel like if I understood math better I would understand the camera better. Next semester I'm taking a math class and maybe then it will sink in.
More mistakes as the reveal themselves....

capture

Today was the moment of truth. Would my footage look good after it was off the tape and in the computer. The answer is, yeah? I'm being really picky of course, but there is a spot in the top right hand corner of the shelves that is empty. It looks weird. Also, I should have got a more medium medium shot. The close up is weird for a cooking show. I also should have been more in control of the second camera operations. The second camera is so zoomy that I can't use most of it. I think I will be able to edit a decent looking episode, but a catchy trailer, I'm not so sure.
I've been at it for two hours and I have 10 secs of a 30-45 sec trailer. I can't remember how to work the cool effects and I think I may have run out of usable, cool looking b reel. 
 

some photos from yesterday

we did it

Holy crap. That was amazing. I can't believe how well today went. Even after it took two extra hours to set up, we still finished shooting on time. It was really hard setting up the lights. Stressful and hard, but once we did it everything just moved right along. My team was incredible. We totally re arranged Maria's kitchen and almost got it looking the same as we started. We forgot to take a photo of the kitchen before we began to make sure that we could get it back to normal, but in the end it looked good as new.

Wow. I did it. Now......the fun part. Time to edit.

tomorrow

I didn't think I had it in me to blog tonight, but it seems that I can't sleep, so I figured I'd jot down a few notes before bed. 7:15 wake up call. Yuck.
Hallie came down this afternoon and spent the evening with me, making me laugh, and helping me stay sane while I went over all of my check list. It turns out that they weren't kidding when they said "double check your equipment when you take it from the TV lab" I got home to find out that they didn't give me a mic cord. Luckily I thought to call Dominika. Her boyfriend is in a band and has one otherwise I would be totally bummed out. She will bring it with herself in the morning. She is going to be my second camera operator. 
Fingers-crossed there won't be any more major problems. To be continued after the shoot.....
(p.s. the park slope food coop rocks! I came in $80 under budget for food.)

budget?

I have never been that great at budgeting money. Spending, no problem, saving, forget about it (unless there's a plane ticket involved, and even then it's tough.)I saved two weeks of unemployment mixed with some fin aid that came to around $500. 
So budgeting, you know planning everything out before, is a hard concept for me to grasp, especially when it's my own dough. I'm pretty sure that budgeting is one of the producer's many jobs, so I have a lot to learn in that department.
So far this is what I have spent, and what I project to spend.


Makeup: $34.00
Wardrobe:$32.50
(these two items may get returned after the shoot)
Craft Services: $34.00-spent $30.00-more projected
Lighting: $80.00 Rifa Light Light bulbs and Gaff Tape $17.50
YumYoga Dinner for 2( research for me, consulting thank you to my ex-DP) $90.00
Produce and Food for Props: $150
Transportation: $60
Set Dressing: $60


Now to add it up...I hate this part.....$208.00 Spent  $380 projected
For a grand total of: $588, $88 over budget


In the great scheme of things that's not SO bad. I'm good at eating lentils.
And Kale is CHEAP:)

its called money

It gets it done. I called EVERYONE I knew that might maybe have a light and then gave up and rented one. It was THE last Rifa light in NYC available this weekend. Luck and a 100 bucks will get it done.

lights. please.

So I'm feeling kind screwed. Sorry for the strong language but I am worried. On of my biggest concerns on this project is lighting. I want the light to beautiful. I reserved a hard light kit which consists of 3 200 watt studio lights, because my DP had a couple of Rifa lights and we were going to fill in the blanks with the lower watt lights. Now I need the Rifa lights and I can't get them because they are all checked out for the weekend. UGH.

my first shot list

I really have no idea how to do this. I'm going step by step through the recipes to break down what shots I need to get. I'm meeting with my Prof. on Friday morning to go over this to see if I'm missing something. It feels like I'm missing a lot. This is what I look like after four hours glued to my laptop

Simple Shot List

Introduction to the show

Introduction to Kale

Kale being washed and stripped

Kale broken up into little pieces

Kale getting olive oil bath

Kale being laid out on cookie sheet

Cutaway at Oven-Over the shoulder POV

Going into the Oven

Coming out of the Oven

Finished Pretty Baked Kale display

In Plastic bags for snacks

--------------------------------

Simple everyday Kale Intro

Cutaway to pot on stove-Over the shoulder POV

Dages chopping Greens

Cutaway greens being strained

Shot of the greens being dressed in the bowl

Explanation of variations

-----------------------------

Intro to raw Kale

Ingredients Introduction

Massaging the Kale Close UP

Combing of ingredients to make salad

Closing remarks on the beauty of Kale

MARY MEYER

I am so thrilled to announce that Mary Meyer, a totally hip brooklyn designer, has signed on to my project. Mary is from one of my favorite towns in the world, Bolinas California. It is a beach community in Northern California that a bunch of hippies moved to in the late 60's and created a community that is full of funky fabulous people and ridiculously beautiful vistas. Her designs are urban, but hippie at the same time. And I mean hippie in the coolest sense of that word. Hip and chic, but organic and tribal. I'm going to her studio tomorrow afternoon to pull looks. I can't wait to see what she's working on next! Check out this awesome write up in New York Magazine this week.

todo list

*shopping
Lights:
  *Lightbulbs- 60&100 watt
  *Clothespins
  *2 to 3 prong adapters
  *Gaffer tape
Wardrobe:
  *Sweater-Uniqlo
  *Black Tank top
This just IN: A designer friend of mine
 may lend us a few pieces for the shoot!!!
This would be Awesome! Her designs are exactly what I want!
More to come as the story unfolds.

Food:
  *Too much to list
Set Aside List:
  *Buddha Head
  *Black Clothes
  *Black Apron
  *Jars with colorful stuff in them
  *Black pot holder
 

i'm so excited

Wow.I am so taken care of. Last night I went with my old DP, John Romeo, to YUMYOGA with Dages, at Maria's beautiful loft. ( Let it also be said that she is a a major reason the loft is so beautiful, her energy is radiant) It was perfect. John walked me through all of the lights, and how I should work with the light in the space mixed with the lights at school. Unfortunately the lights that I have on reserve are the wrong lights. I'm hoping that witha a phone call to the TV Lab, I will be able to get the Rifa light kit instead. Fingers crossed.
I have a bit more confidance in my ability to shoot this today after my lesson in lighting and my on location tutorial with John.
Dages was amazing. She was beautiful and poised and John complemented me on my ability to see a great on screen talent. She is going to be be fabulous on camera. I have no doubt. I took a few photos with my Digital SLR still camera to get a feel for how it should be framed and to look at the light situation in the room.
We are going to have to change a few lightbulbs and make sure some lights are turned off, especialy the floresant lights because they will turn green on camera.
So exciting!

pulling myself up off the ground

Tired today. Suffering from a bit of an emotional hangover, and just worn out. After thinking some more on what Michael and I discussed last night I've made some more specific choices about what I want the set to look like. I really want to look to be late summer. I know that we have entered fall already, but I want the look of this episode to be really alive, growing almost, and fall is the opposite of alive. I also don't want too much clutter. Color yes, but clutter no. It is going to interesting to see how I am able to communicate with my style consultants to make sure that my ideas are getting across, and so that they still feel creatively satisfied. 
We may do a teaser for the next episode, and that should be fall. 
Tonight I am going back over to the location to participate in a yumyoga dinner for inspiration and to get a better feel of how my shot list should go. Romeo will be joining me to go over what he thinks the best way to light the kitchen, which will be great so that I can have some direction on how to get the look I want.
My other concern today was that I wouldn't get the equipment that I needed, and it turns out that I can get everything except a reflector. I wonder if I know anybody who has on I could borrow?