Boo

Frank & Fred get really excited about Halloween at The Studio Center

EX3 with Teleprompter

Here's a behind-the-scenes look from this past week in the studio with director Bill Bayne setting up a shot with a Sony EX3... Same camera as our EX1 (different lens). Notice how easily it sits on our teleprompter for a really pro-look production.

Hey Everybody... We're doing it again! People have been asking for us to do The Studio Center Garage Sale again...and here it is: Saturday, 9-26-09 at 8am, we will be doing our 2nd Big End-of-Summer Garage Sale. We gotta clean out our store room. New merchandise arriving daily...No, that's another commercial. But hey, if you have stuff you want to sell too, come on down... It's free. Also, Northern Calif. Writers & Filmmakers group will be providing free coffee and goodies. Weather should be great. See you here!!!

KeJo Productions

Jo Haskin was in the studio doing a production for the Veteran's Administration. Had a full crew, including Brian Hamm doing his magic with the RED camera... Also notice the camera is sitting on top a beta test unit of the new GearNex pan & tilt head. We'll be hearing lots about that in the future. Sorry the focus is soft...pressed a wrong button... but I'm a professional you know!

Sony EX1 & EX3 are the choice of the Pros!

After extensive research, we purchased this camera last year. Indeed, it is the biggest bang for the buck to shoot full High Definition 1080p. I think we were validated in our choice by a recent article (Mar.09) in American Cinematographer where they interviewed four top DPs who shoot four of the top TV series, such as "The Usuals" and Showtime's "Dexter". Two still shot in Panavision 35mm, but the two aformentioned shows are shot with the $200K Sony F23... AND the above Sony EX1. More and more of Hollywood pros are using the EX1 to intercut with their more expensive bretheren because they look close to the same picture. Only an engineer might tell the difference.
I love the Sony EX1... Matter of fact, we're starting an EX1 User's Group, so if you own one also, shoot me an email to make sure you're on our mailing list.

Behind the Scenes

Quick behind-the-scenes look at an Exercise Infomercial just shot at The Studio Center. Produced by Dan Dunn, Directed by Kip Hall, superb lighting by Dave Bunge and his Grip Services crew, set built by Bud Rice, camera & audio by Stan Chan, and that big boom operated by Bret Allen. The pictures looked fantastic. It's always amazing what you can do with creative lighting.

Shooting the Cave Scenes from 11-Bravo

The cast was getting a little edgy at the end of the day around Director Frank Casanova while shooting scenes from "The 11-Bravo Diaries". This mine shaft in Placerville stood in for a cave in Afghanistan... the good news is that it was connected to the Cozmic Cafe on Main Street in Placerville... that means food, drink, and restrooms readily available !!!!

"The 11-Bravo Diaries"

Shooting a scene in Capitol Park for "The 11-Bravo Diaries". Frank is using the Sony EX1, while Ryan Lomeli has the slate, and Mario Garcia does audio.

The boys are back making their latest music video with the Red camera. DP Brian Hamm is setting up the Red camera over our singer while director Ryan Todd checks the monitor. Tobija Annis is doing still photography at the same time. Can't wait to see the results...These guys always deliver!

That's not Yosemite Sam skimming across the Laguna Madre Bay near South Padre Island, Texas, at 35mph over 2 ft. water...Temp is over 100 degrees AND 95% humidity. It's like a blast furnace in your face. That's why you have to cover up, or you'll just bake out there. And I was out there on the water for 10 hours a day for 7 days. My EX1 couldn't take the high heat and humidity after about 2pm in the afternoon and just shut down. Had to go to a back up camera until the EX1 came back on later that night.
This is a Fly-Fishing movie called "Red Fish Summer"...now in editing.

State Fair Spots Last Week

Yes, It's true! Poppy was in the house! In case you don't know, Poppy is the bear mascot for the State Fair. Inside that costume there's a guy sweatin' away. Anyway there were also twelve 12 year-olds cavorting with the big yellow guy in greenscreen. I thought we were going to have to put some fresh D-cells in the cattle-prod to keep all those kids in line, but they were all pros. The State Fair spots should hit the air in a few weeks.

Big Music Video Production

Deon Taylor and a crew of over 30 top pros are in the studio doing a high-end music video Sunday (5-31) after shooting around town. They've got 5 motorhomes parked in our lot, 2 grip trucks...and their own generator...Plus they're shooting with TWO Red cameras... and these guys are movin'!
(photos coming soon)

Big APCS Casting Call a Success!

Whew...What night at the A Place Called Sacramento Crew & Casting Call. Ron Cooper estimated over 250 people and I have to agree. I gotta thank everyone who stopped by my table for "Beatrice & The Bike Thief"... I don't think there was ever less than 15 or 20 people in that line! I didn't leave until after 9pm so I could talk to everyone in line (that was over 3 hours). I'll be sending out emails to everyone to list the times and subjects of our free production job training seminars. Thanks again!

Beatrice & The Bike Thief

We were just informed that my script for the short movie "Beatrice & The Bike Thief" has been selected to be in this years A Place Called Sacramento Film Festival Oct.4th at The Crest. This ought to be a fun one... It's a Disney-style comedy with kids on bikes...and Beatrice who fancies herself as a detective... on the trail of bike thieves.
We'll be casting by the end of May and hope to start production in June. We will have the website up soon... www.BeatriceAndTheBikeThief.info

Visit by The Governator

Yep... Here he is driving up to The Studio Center with his entourage. First thing Arnold did was to walk into my office where I was talking to my brother (and Chief Editor) Fred, asking "So Vhat are you two up to?"... After welcoming him to The Studio Center, I told him we run the place. The Gov then says, "So, you're not doing much of anything then?" I had to retort,"You've been dealing with too many studio people haven't you?" He says, "A few... Nice to meet you"... he flashes that big smile, shakes hands and walks back into the studio to do his thing.

New Metal Scupture Logo on Building

Fred Casanova is preparing to mount The Studio Center Logo onto the building.

As you saw in previous photos, Fred built the logo himself... Talented guy, besides being our chief Final Cut Pro guru!!
The finished logo is being mounted into it's final position... It's really cool. Wait until you see the back lights !

New TV spot

Ryan Todd was in the studio again...this time as producer, with Chad Turner directing a spot for a communications company. As usual, Dave Bunge did an amazing job of lighting the three sets... From the simple table-top work , to a hip lounge scene, to the fun "walk up the side of a wall" greenscreen trick. Eric Maddox brought in his Sony EX1 High Def camera ( just like the one we have in-house! ). Toby Annis and Mike Booth headed up the crew of about 7. These guys are all pros and shot the whole thing in a day.

New Building Logo Being Made

If you've been by The Studio Center anytime in the last few months, you might wonder where you are. All you'll see is the "915" near the front door. Since we repainted the building with new colors...and a bit more sophisticated I might add... we had to paint over the old logo. That was OK because we had plans for a new metal sculpted logo to go in it's place. Since this is also a piece of art, things just take longer than you might expect. But as you can see, the work is in progress! It's really gonna be cool!

Swap Meet Great Success

Wow...It was great fun...and we sold a lot of stuff... Although I was the first to break my first rule: We shouldn't just sell stuff to each other. Craig Witter had a Matthews BeefyBaby light stand that retails for $200 and he was only asking $10 since it had a broken set screw ( I knew I could fix )... My 10 bucks came out of my wallet so fast... and it was only 8:30! Didn't realize it later that some others were running to get some cash to buy these bargains. Ya know, it's the Quick and the Dead at these sales.

Seriously, my thanks to all those who participated since the weather turned a bit cold on us, but no rain. We had people coming from the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. CFAA made a few bucks selling coffee and donuts! Plus great networking. We all decided we have to do this again this summer... AND WE WILL !!!

Jim Finnerty in doing a spot

Well known Northern California on-camera talent Jim Finnerty was in the studio last week doing a green screen spot with our High Definition Sony EX1 camera. The guy is amazing. Not only does he nail the spot on the first take, the subsequent takes are all about giving the producer a number of different reads so they have a great choice when they get to post production edit. This is the prime example why people say it pays to hire a pro... Ya get it right the first time... and it looks more than right, it's great!!
You can also catch Jim on KVIE's "America's Heartland" where he is now a Producer besides being an on-camera host.

Gotta Love This One

How to price a video... It's always a tough call. My on-going joke is: It's like asking "How long is a string?". Obviously, the answer is it could be anywhere. Usually a prospect calls and asks how much it costs to do a video. After biting my lip, I go through this explanation. What they're really saying is 1) they have no idea where the pricing ballpark is, and 2) they want you to say a number first so that if you're foolish enough to cut your price to the bone, they may take you up on it.
More on all of this in a later post.
My biggest laugh today was when a law firm emailed me and said they wanted to do a short video for their website, but two things: 1) they wanted it very professional, and 2) they wanted it very cheap! Duh, yeah, sure... I just emailed them back... "Hey, that's exactly the way I shop for an attorney!"

Where is Indy moviemaking going now?

Just when you thought was getting good....The old rug pull! Latest info from the film markets is the fewest number of indy movies are being pick-up... and for the lowest prices. Why? Simply because there is now a glut in the marketplace. The very things that made it easier for all of us to make good looking movies, i.e.; Hi-Def cameras like the Sony EX1 and fantastic editing systems like Final Cut Pro with the Studio II bundle, have also allowed a bunch of other folks into the pond. Many with marginal talent, yet they get to muddy the waters. I'm even reading posts where video guys are bemoaning that falling marketplace and saying they think they'll get into feature moviemaking as a what to make some money?!?! What? That's truly a grasping at straws. Let's see... you have falling income now, so let's go out and spend, spend, spend on a high risk venture that has a history of not making the investment back? Duh... Yeah, that's the ticket! And there's the message. From the outside, moviemaking looks profitable, but I ask you, who do you know in Sacramento that has made "profit" from making movies. Maybe one or two I can think of, but that's it.
Now I didn't say I'm going to quit making movies. What I am saying is, I have to be even more careful on the budgets in order to even have a chance to make a profit. I'm not going to look at those inflated $750k to $2million budgets because if I have to self distribut (which is most likely going to be the case), I pretty much have guaranteed I'm going to have a substantial loss. My thinking is to keep the budgets around $80K to $150K and I might have a chance.

Piano Disc Product DVD

PianoDisc was in this week doing another DVD production. These are essentially "music videos". But rather than a single extremely over produced song, PianoDisc does a whole album of material. The purpose is to produce a product that they sell to their customers of their "customized" grand pianos. The pianos are outfitted with an electronic device that essentially converts them into "player pianos". Then they are hooked up to a High Definition DVD player where the customer can see the music video, but the sound is, in fact, coming out of the piano! So you're getting a personal performance on the piano in your living room and are able to see that performance on your big screen TV. Quite a product...but alas, only if you have the money!

Stan, Frank, and the Ducky

Bumped into Stan Atkinson at the Sacramento Home and Landscape show... OK, OK, Stan was a cardboard cut-out. But I couldn't help tormenting his ducky... especially since Stan didn't do his last commercial at The Studio Center like he had planned. That ducky will pay dearly for that!

Is Hollywood Leaving Hollywood?

In a word... Yes. Those of us who have followed the Film Industry for years already know this, but it was underscored in this weeks CFAA (Capital Film Arts Alliance) meeting with Burbank Assemblyman Paul Krekorian. He mentioned that 43 other states have some film industry incentives...California is not one of them. And I'll bet we won't get some anytime soon with this current legislature. How can lawmakers be persuaded to cut a deal for one group in the face of the catastrophic deficits? And especially most Republicans will block any such attempt. So as Assemblyman Krekorian said, "It's a dead issue". Just as the aerospace industry left LA, wave goodby to the film industry.
That being said, the big studio lots will still be there, but mostly to do Television, which will stay. Movies will still be financed out of those big building in Century City, just as Redwood Palms finances movies out of Folsom... But they won't be made there, as they are not here.
Don't forget... The the movie industry moved to LA from New York indeed for mostly economic reasons. And that's why they will now move out of LA to more receptive places like New Mexico, Louisiana, North Carolina, along with Vancouver, etc.
What does that mean for us here in Sacramento? Pretty much nothing. We haven't seen a big budget Hollywood movie up here for years...and that probably won't change ( remember, we're still in California). What can we do about it? Pretty much nothing (remember, we're still in California).
More comments about Sacramento Filmmaking to come !!!