A week ago, I had these grand plans to post blogs every day of the shoot, but those plans were laid to waste when I got home exhausted, and had to get ready for the next day. Then I spent the entire weekend putting up a gallery art exhibition I have going on, and on Labor Day, I rested (ironically enough). So now it's time to catch up.

Day 2 of shooting was really good. The San Diego Museum of Art was gracious enough to rent their auditorium to them for the afternoon, and what a great space it was. I can't thank them enough for being so hospitable and helpful. This would be the first full day (as in 8 hours) of shooting, with some intense scenes and a lot of blocking. It was also the first time we all got to see our family of magicians together at once, and they look great together. This weekend I looked at a couple of scenes from that day, and it sends chills down my spine. The acting is so good (thanks, Jose Yenque, Lizet Benrey, Tim Clifton and Maka), and the shots are beautiful (thanks Cody, Sergio, Phillip, and Nate!), and the extras are all wonderful. I'm watching them without sound at this point (my editor has some syncing to do), and they still are in such rich technicolor life, I find myself in awe of how beautifully everything came together. I wish I could take all the credit, but most of the credit really lies with all the people who care about this film as much as I do, namely my producer, Sybil Wendler, my DP Sergio Ulloa, and all my actors. I also have to say that all the PAs that showed up not knowing what they were getting into really kept things going. From our camera AC's to AD Josh Krohn to those working on sound, slate, grip, and makeup, everyone worked so smoothly together, it was really the most fun I have ever had on a shoot. I also got a kick out of Jose flinging his magician cape around the stage like a proud bullfighter. If time weren't a factor, I would have asked to see it 10 more times!

I'm planning on posting some pictures soon, but I have to get the card first, since my batteries ran out on Day 2.

Day 3 was probably the most stressful day, mostly because there was a lot to get through, there were a couple of complicated scenes, and we were in someone's house. Seriously, folks, this house is beautiful. It was built in the 1880's and wonderfully restored to its former glory. All the furniture in the house came with it, down to the grandfather clock. And those beautiful wood floors? They're original. So yes, there was a piece of me that was nervous about shooting there, since I would have been mortified if anything had been damaged. (spoiler alert: we didn't damage anything) I did, however, make them put cardboard under all the light stands, and they did me one better and made little cardboard 'shoes' for each leg of each stand. Those guys are brilliant, I tell you.

At this point, I have to talk about Lizet Benrey. She was trained in acting, even though she devotes much of her time to her beautiful paintings. Ever since she agreed to do the role, she has expressed some hesitation about her ability to pull it off, since it is such a demanding role. I never had these doubts. On that third day, I think Lizet (and all of us) realized how well she actually had done, as her performance (in my opinion) was pitch perfect. I remember watching her during one take about halfway through the take, thinking that this was what I knew had been inside her the whole time, and now she was bringing it out and letting us all see. It was truly remarkable and fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a more heartfelt and soulful performance.

I also want to mention how great Larissa Garcia was as the daughter (Maya). Larissa is only 15, but has a wealth of theater experience that gives her a maturity that is often not seen in people much older than she. Larissa is also (wonderfully!) a great listener, and takes direction like few actors I have ever worked with.  She jumped into every scene with the same eagerness, even though we were all exhausted, and turned out consistently good takes, saving us all a lot of time and frustration. I can't help but feel like we've discovered a great young talent, and I'm so proud to be a part of her acting adventures.

Anyway, I do have pictures of Day 3, so check 'em out. And thanks for keeping up with our project. We also have a short behind-the-scenes video if you'd like to check it out.

Whew! What a day! Seems like I've been saying that a lot lately. Still, today was a long day of running around and trying to tie up loose ends. But never fear, we made it through okay. We started shooting right on time (if not a bit early), and our actors (who are both teenagers), turned out performances like pros. I couldn't be happier. On top of that, the crew was great; taking care of things that my brain doesn't have the ability to grasp at the moment. My ability to pay attention to multiple things has drastically diminished, both because of fatigue, and because of how much attention I want to give my actors. In my experience, actors work best if you remember that they are people, and since these kids are on the young side (first film for both of them!), I want to pay double attention to make sure they are comfortable and understand exactly what is going on.

Anyway, we shot in the afternoon, and caught some beautiful 'Golden Hour' light. I just can't say enough about how wonderful it is to shoot at that time of day. The light just catches everyones eyes and skin and hair in the most beautiful way. Why wouldn't you want to shoot then? I wish the whole day was lit like that. But alas, the sun only gives us a short time each day to look absolutely beautiful. Still we managed to get what we needed in that short window of time, then move on to the darker shots we needed as well. All in all, I would say the day is a success.

Tomorrow is the big day of shooting the stage scene. I can't wait. It's going to be a bit hectic, but I'm hopeful that because I have such a great group of people around me helping me do the thinking and heavy lifting, that we'll get through it all without too much trouble. Here are some pictures of the day!

It's no secret: a movie can't be made by one person. Sure, there is the auteur school of thought that holds the director as the visionary, the one who attends to every little detail. But the thing is, there is not a person alive who can do all things well. Making films requires meticulous attention to details in a variety of areas. Costumes, sets, props, acting, camera work, sound, special effects, and so on. 

I am lucky enough to know some very talented people who are willing to help me make my film. I don't know how I managed to surround myself with so many accomplished people, but there it is. So, I'd like to introduce them, so everyone can know how much talent is going into the making of this movie. I wish I could do everything myself, but I rest easy knowing that there are a number of people surrounding me that will do everything in their power to make the film as good as it can be.

So let's start with the music. For my film, I envision music that is a simple blend of electronic sound with one or two acoustic instruments, such as a piano or flute. Imagine Radiohead with no singing and a little flute melody. Something atmospheric. So I called someone who I know specializes in that sort of music. His name is Chad Mossholder, and he's been composing music and doing sound design in the video game industry for quite some time now. He's also worked on several other film projects and art projects, so he's really a great asset to the team. If you want to check out his music go here: www.cwmossholder.com