So What's Going ON?!?!

So, 24 of the 25 segments around the world are wrapped!!!!

We're deep in discussions on everything from our new website, trailers, scoring, bands, post production, distribution, social media et cetera.

I've taken a seat on the music committee. I'm enjoying this. We're trying to take a different approach that will bring the segments together but hold onto their cultural diversity. There are exciting ideas being thrown around. Hopefully some of them stick and work! We're researching, talking to people, and seeing what bands might be interested in coming on board.

If you know anyone, get in touch! Nothing's decided yet, it's still early days.

I've just finished the latest edit of heart shaped and I'm happy how it's coming along. I still have a few reshoots to do. These were meant to happen weeks ago! What happened? A certain well known courier company happened!!!

The backpack was being shipped from London to Dublin for the reshoots. 2 day delivery. 24 days later... apparently my address is insufficient for delivery. But I live here. Everyone else manages to find it. Hell, it's okay, I said, I'll email them and call them to give them directions.

Oh no. They don't like that. Only the sender can contact them. Ok, I'll pick it up from the depot, I'll bring ID. Oh they couldn't possibly tell me where the depot is.

So what did they do? They shipped it back to London. Where it got lost in transit.

And has only just re-emerged. In London. Having been to Dublin. Probably waved as it flew over my house. Twice.

Oh well. What can I do? Nothing I can write on a public forum anyway :-)

I

CRISIS!!!

This picture was the final straw. Look at the state of the beard! I shaved it off today.

Oh, on another note, the key prop has just arrived from Berlin. The Backpack, in all it's glory, is now in my house. See it in the photo above.

So, we're almost set. A few recces on Monday, I need to get back to the cast today as the final decision has been approved. A few exciting additions to the crew, I'll let you know when they're 100% confirmed.

I'm also beginning to think about screenings for the full feature film when it's complete - trying to stay ahead of the curve as these things take time to organise.

Any suggestions?

Nearly there - time for a fundraising push

So, tomorrow we're one week from the shoot. Yikes!

I need to finish the storyboards and the shotlist, while in the midst of revising the style to make it more cinematic. Lots to do on that, but I know what I want. It's only a pity it takes so long to draw! Should've practiced more.

The casting session was great yesterday, we met some fantastic people and it was very encouraging. I was a little drained afterwards, we saw 15 people in 4 hours, and, as we were working on an emotional scene, I felt I engaged with the performances and was pretty tired afterwards. I'm going to watch the tape once more then send my picks to Marty at collabfeature.com.

It's also nearing the time for one last push for fundraising.

It's reached the time that we need to spend - equipment, props, et cetera, - and I could do with a few more kind donors to help. Any amount appreciated, it will all be seen on the screen.

So wish me luck, we're into the final and most important stretch now.

So we're full!

So we were inundated with requests for auditions, which is fantastic.

Tomorrow we have the audition session, which I'm excited by. There would appear to be some very talented people popping over tomorrow.

It's going to be a strange audition - the characters don't have a lot to say and I won't have the child actors with me to run lines - so I guess I'm the children!

It will be a little unusual.

I'm looking forward to see the take the actors have on the role - I can't imagine it being easy, there's a complex mix of emotions being put into a very small page count.

I'm looking for people who make it natural and easy - those who say as much in what they don't say.

It was also a little tricky in that they are playing the parents of two brothers - it had to be believable that they could be related. A few people had to be reluctantly let go for this reason, but it has to work.

My hat's off to all those brave enough to come and audition for me tomorrow. I know it's not easy, you're putting yourself on the line and only a couple of you will be chosen. Respect for putting yourself out there.

Mairtin

Crew Update

Well the crew roles are filling up.

Welcome to the team

Greg Fitzpatrick, who is a sound recordist.
Aoife Redmond - a very qualified make-up artist.
Stef Clerkin - Production design.

I've worked with Aoife and Stef quite a lot over the last couple of years and I'm very much looking forward to working with them again. They're very creative, create a good atmosphere on set and are fun to work with.

I haven't worked with Greg before but he comes highly recommended, so that's good enough for me!

Only one or two roles left to fill, and with the casting session on Wednesday we should be nearly ready by the end of the week for next Friday's shoot (2nd July).

Locations!!!

A huge thank you to the sweet emporium in Skerries who have kindly agreed to let us film part of the film there. It's an amazing place. I honestly found it hard to leave.

If you're nearby or just like beautiful sweet shops pay a visit.


We've also found our main character house, it's in Palmerstown. It's perfect!

Story boards Scenes 1 + 2

A sneak peak at pages scene 1 and 2...

Looking forward to getting stuck into the rest of them!

Tees and stickers

So I put a design together for T-shirts and badges.

As always, any profit made goes towards making the film.

Feel free to spread the word. Hope you like!

Another new track

I'm enjoying the demoing for Heart Shaped.
Different styles emerging, different genres. It might all change completely once it's shot, but it's worthwhile. They feed into each other.

Go To FileFactory.com

Shooting Style - working with children

Hopefully it won't turn out like the pic!

As I'm working with kids on this film I've had to think long and hard about the shooting style. It's pretty evident that dealing with kids this young means learning lines will be an issue - both in terms of memory and actual performance. As such, I'm aiming to prod them in the right direction and let them ad lib a bit - let them say it in their own words.

So I'll need to cover things in longer, more dynamic takes, or else continuity will go out the window. There's no telling a 4 year old to hit the same mark!

So, another challenge. To keep a long take interesting means using something more like a moving master shot - moving from a wide into midshots, then moving again to a 2 shot et cetera. Try and get as much as possible in one shot without keeping the camera static. This will take time and will alter the way we light too - who knows what's going to be in shot.

I'm going to do some work with the kids next week, to get them used to what I'm trying to achieve. I just received a wide angle and a telephoto lens for my HV30 which I'll use for the tests. We'll be shooting on an EX-3 for the film itself.

I did some work with Jamie last night, teasing performances and headspaces out of him. It gave me an idea what it'll be like on set - hence the need to make things simple but clever.

Looking forward to it.

Many thanks to all who've funded so far.

I've added a donate button at the top of the page - there is no minimum amount for this. IF you want to drop whatever amount you want to me it would be much appreciated.

Music and press

So I spent this morning sending out a few press releases. This got me so creatively stymied that I instantly went and recorded an idea for the score.

You can hear it here

Go To FileFactory.com

I also broke the script down and did an initial schedule.

It's becoming real now!

I'm expecting some of the press to be online early next week - I'll link to it from here.

In the meantime, enjoy the first day of the world cup!

The Cast

I've decided to take a risk on this film - I've cast my own two sons in the role. Not as big a risk as it sounds - they can both act, have appeared in stuff before and they are both quite similar to the characters. So I'm hoping it's more being themselves than actual acting.

I'm looking forward to it.

I'm going to get them used to the camera over the next few weeks, shooting bits and pieces at home, prepping them.

They look great on camera, which is half the battle...

Day 2

So we've reached day 2 of the fundraising effort.
Over the last 24 hours I've been very active, spreading the word across a lot of websites, blogs, social media sites.
Film Ireland have agreed to run a blog on my efforts, which is great.

I set up a website for the film
www.wix.com/mairtindebarra/heartshaped

And a lot more plans afoot.

I also received the first donation!

Thank you very much Funkyderek!

Onwards and upwards.

Heart- Shaped is launched to the funding public!

Ok, so as some of you know, I'm a filmmaker.

I've been making music videos and short films and have won a few awards over the last few years. I'm trying to get longer form projects off the ground but it's difficult to raise the finance and it takes a long time to get them made. I have films in development that could take years to see the light of day.

In the meantime, I've linked up with a global filmmaking group who are making a feature film set across 16 countries. We're taking advantage of new technologies and the accessibility of the world through new media to make something immediate that could help us all launch our careers.

I'm shooting my segment at the end of June/Start of July and to help with the process I've set up an indiegogo fundraising site.

Why? Because I want to be able to feed the crew properly, take care of expenses, get the lights I want, the locations I want, promote the film et cetera. In terms of film I'm not looking to raise a lot, but it will help immensely. Every penny raised will go into the production.

There are a number of perks to sponsorship, which you can see on the site, as well as further information on the project.

http://www.indiegogo.com/filmswithheart

Obviously things are tight for a lot of people at the moment, so if you can't, aren't interested in, despise or love the idea, it would help greatly to spread the word on it. Post it on facebook, twitter, or wherever, who knows who it might reach.

There are a few interesting sponsorship options for business or persons.

I know I'm putting this out there and there will no doubt be people thinking it's a stupid idea, but it's not to me. I have a story I want to tell to the best of my ability, and I need help.

I've given it 53 days to reach the target of $2500 - I have absolutely no idea if this is realistic to be raised in Ireland in this timeframe or not. It's worth trying it out though!

Hope you can help!

Spread the word, I'll be forever in your debt.