Just a quick update. Scattered is well into post-production now and we are in the throws of developing the effects as well and getting ready for color correction.
While that is happening, to keep you guys entertained, here are some images from the shoot. Photographs are from Jonathan Lewis.
Hope you enjoy them!
All right… that’s all for right now… more will come along soon… but for now, BACK TO EDITING!!!
Just a really quick update. Though it’s really in the beginning phases, I wanted to give you guys an early look at how the orb is being created. Our master prop maker Chris Simone thought up the design and concept, which is already a thousand times better than what I was originally thinking.
The Orb and the box that holds the orb will be completed in the next three weeks. As I get more pictures, I’ll leak them out!
We are cast!
YaY!!
One of the things I love is going through the entire process of filmmaking, such as casting, and getting to meet such an array of talented people in the business. With such a high turnout and a wide selection of talent to select from, I am incredibly excited about who we have selected for our two main leads for Scattered. I don’t think I could have dreamed a better pairing or be blessed with such talent for my little project.
Our female lead is a beautiful and amazing actress who has appeared in such television shows as CSI: NY, Eleventh Hour and Grey’s Anatomy and is in a project called Knight to D7, currently touring the festival circuit. Say hello to Meg Cionni!
For the male lead, as I have mentioned before, is none other than Maxwell Glick!
Maxwell has guest starred on shows such as The Office, Life and Mental, but is well known in the web world for his work in Night of the Zombie King and as Spencer on Lonelygirl15. He currently has a new project Rigamortis: A Zombie Love Story which just premiered at the Cedar Rapids Film Festival.
If you want to learn more about these two wonderful actors, you can click on the images to go to their web pages, otherwise click here to go to Meg’s IMDB page and click here to go to Maxwell’s IMDB page.
Next stop, rehearsals! We are about a little over a month away from production. You know what that will mean… less and less of me writing and more and more awesome pictures are on it’s way!!! 
Finished the first round of casting last friday and heading into the second round of casting tomorrow. I am in awe with the level of talent that has turned up for this project. Choosing the one among all of them is going to be so hard to do and already our callback list is growing really long.
I am taking notes and mentally making a queue sheet with these talented people in the effort to bring them back when we do the full up of Scattered. It would be a shame not to use them in some capacity.
But in the mean time, we are trucking away. Once everything is casted, I’ll make a new post announcing the talent.
I am currently in pre-production with my new project Scattered. This is probably by far the most ambitious project to date as I mentally try and wrap my head around a sci-fi drama flick with special effects up the wazoo.
Since it is such an ambitious project, I am also being smart about it. We are shooting an initial teaser to get out there and promote. It’s a two day shoot that I have had almost a three month long pre-production on. And it is such a good feeling. I have also have had the good fortune of casting Maxwell Glick (LonelyGirl15, A Good Knights Quest, Night of the Zombie King) as the male lead and whittling down casting selects for the female lead as we speak.
The biggest table we are facing right now is locking down the location, but I am not worried. I have an excellent production crew that is so passionate of this project as well. As the production continues in the upcoming months, I’ll post more here.
Being an independent filmmaker has its perks. You are your own boss, you control the final output of your projects, you make the choices that you want and the entire creative process is fit into your hands. It’s great.
The downside? Insane amount of hours, little to no pay, and having to stretch the dollar into a hundred.
So it doesn’t come as a surprise that we all have to have side gigs to muddle through until we make that transition from Independent to Studio. But there are blessings to this process. I can’t speak a lot about it right now, but I am in the process of being vetted for potential career move to a nice upgrade in position and status. It will be a change but also a chance to experience new and sometimes ground breaking opportunities. As the process moves forward and I can reveal more, I will.
Til then, onward and upward.
In the past two or three years, I have become more and more obsessed with the Steampunk culture and have been trying to figure out how to cost effectively make a Steampunk show and/or movie. Now, I know it’s been done (albeit horribly) with Wild Wild West and more recently, the ABC show Castle did an episode with a Steampunk theme (much, much better than Wild Wild West).
About a year ago, through mutual friends, I had the privledge to meet Cathy Baron, who, among being a talented actress, also hand makes uniquely awesome Steampunk jewelry. I can’t really describe in proper words the feeling that comes with seeing her jewelry. It might be the old fashion in me that loves handmade items. There is a level of care and, as corny as this sounds, love that goes into something that has be handcrafted rather than assembly line made. To me, it’s almost the same feeling you get from those really, really expensive watches from people like Ulysse Nardin or Louis Moinet.
Luckily for me, and for you, Cathy Baron’s Steampunk jewelry doesn’t cost a fortune. Modestly priced, these eclectic and original pieces can be yours for purchase at her Etsy store. Take a look at some of her jewelry below and if you like what you see, just click on the image and it will take you to her webpage.
Since these are all one of a kind and hand made, CB Designs comes out with new jewelry designs often so for the latest information on when the next piece comes out, you can follow her twitter page at @steampunkgal or her facebook page.
Hey everyone!
I just want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! It’s already 2011. Jesus, where did the last decade go? I distinctly remember everyone having mild panic disorders about the dreaded Y2K bug.
Well, hopefully everyone’s new years eve went off with lots of friends, booze, and grand times of misbehaving that you want to forget but can’t because it will be posted on hundreds of facebook posts.
Kidding.
Well, sort of.
Now that new years day is almost at an end, I figured that this would be a perfect time to think of my new years resolutions. And like a narcissist, I’ll share them with you all:
1) Take more photographs. And not with digital only. This means getting back to shooting film with my hasselblad, using the 7D, the Panasonic LX3 and my soon to be newly acquired FujiFilm Instax 210 Instant Camera.
2) Exercise more. I mean a lot more. I wanna have Ryan Reynolds body… … … in a physical way… … … … not sexually… … … damnit, I just want to look like him with the six pack abs and ripped muscles, killing vampires, making wisecracks and flashing a green ring of superpowers, alright?!?!?. eff me.
3) Take more chances. More risks. Be bolder. Live like it’s your last day… without doing something stupid like playing chicken with a train.
4) Make at least 3 films (long or short format) to keep my directing skills up.
5) Be happier. Not that I am a Debbie Downer with a chip on my shoulder by any means. But in all essence, start realizing that lets be quite frank, my life is good. My health fairly well (see new years resolution #2), I have a loving mom, a job, and friends who care about me. No need to go all glass half empty for no reason.
6) Take a vacation. Hawaii perhaps. Maybe finally visit Europe. Expand my culture.
and finally:
7) Take the next step. In everything. Career, relationships, etc. Which, #7 nicely ties in with #3.
So, there you go. Richard J. Lee’s 2011 New Years Resolutions.
That’s all for now! I wish y’all a prosperous and wonderful new year full of health and happiness.
-R
Just posted Scattered on Indie-Go-Go for fundraising. We are trying to raise $20,000 to help the project along. Any help would be greatly appreciated and hope you can spread the word.
Currently working w/ the really talented sound designer Henry Correa from FX the Mix for the audio post for our Indie Go-Go fundraising film.
When it comes to sound design, this man is an effn genius. I feel extremely fortunate for having him as a colleague as well as a friend. Hopefully all will done an posted for fundraising by next week.
