Happy Memories

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Jack Fields is working on a short film titled “Happy Memories” which combines puppetry and live action. He told me that Brian Feldman would be hatching from an egg on the day I went to sketch. John Regan III was behind the camera. Digital SLR cameras shoot quality video these days. Brian was perched on a crate covered with foam and a blue blanket. The wall behind him was painted as a blue screen so he could be composited onto another background in post production. He was dressed in long johns that had googly eyes pasted all over the surface. Whenever he moved the eyes wobbled. Jack was trying to get an eyeball hanging from an ocular nerve to look like it had popped out of Brian’s eye socket. The adhesive didn’t want to stick so the eye kept dropping off.

With costuming and makeup done it was time to shoot. Brian tucked his knees up to his chest in a fetal position and then Jack started wrapping him in aluminum foil. Jack stood back and shouted “Action!” Brian slowly extricated himself from the aluminum foil egg. Jack shouted “Cut!” He felt Brian had moved too slow, so he explained the pacing he needed. Brian was wrapped in aluminum foil for another take. This time the timing was perfect. They shot one more scene where Brian looked at a puppet held by Jack in shock and horror.

I don’t know the story behind “Happy Memories” but I can’t wait to see the final product. Jack’s puppets are an intricate banquet for the eyes.

Follow Your Dream

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Dina Peterson is co-Directing a short film called “Follow Your Dream”. The film is about an Elvis impersonator who dreams of making it to the big time. His wife doesn’t understand the dream. While he sings in a smoky night club a young woman tries to seduce him. His wife finds out about this incident. While arguing one night his wife has a brain aneurysm. At her bedside the impersonator vows to get a 9 to 5 job as a mechanic to help pay the medical bills. Over time the wife comes to realize that she has taken her husbands dream away.
These shots were set up at the Dog and Bone British pub (9 Stone Street, Coco). When I arrived the smoke machine had just been turned on and an assistant was waving a large sheet of board around to spread it around the room. Once the smoke was ready, then the shot could start. Elvis sang 5 tunes straight through while the cameramen used hand held cameras. They also shot the songs using a tripod. At the time I sketched him, Elvis was singing “I Gotta Follow That Dream.”
As Elvis sang, Dina was dancing in front of the video monitor watching the shots. When I first met Dina she was singing karaoke in a bar very much like the one this film was being shot in. The film was shot over the course of 3 days and will be edited soon.

I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.

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Although the Elvis impersonator’s wife wanted him to live a normal 9 to 5 existence, she soon realized she loved him more when he was chasing his dream, as crazy as it might be. She found out about a talent contest where some talent scouts were going to be and she insisted he sing again.
This is the last shot in the film where he sings “I Can’t help Falling in Love with You” to his wife. This is a 360 shot where the cameraman, director and an assistant circled the table as Elvis sang. The film ends with the couple embracing. This was a challenging sketch to get because the whole bar was black except for the spot light above the couple. I was using the book light as they set up but one they started shooting, I had to turn it off because they didn’t want to see anything in the background. I worked between shots and painted a bit after it was all said and done.
Later in the afternoon there was going to be a scene where a woman in the audience flashed Elvis. I had to get to Gatorland so I had to miss it.

Tulgey Wood – Sound Stage Shoot

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Tulgey Wood is a Full Sail student short film loosely built around the Lewis Carol poem “Jabberwocky“.
And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the Tulgey Wood,
And burbled as it came!
The film follows a young girl named Jose who discovers her parents are about to get divorced. Unable to face this harsh truth the girl runs from her home and wanders into the woods where she is transformed into a girl that looks just like Alice in Wonderland. She finds a small red camping tent and wanders in. The interior is much bigger than expected with paper lanterns, mounds of pillows and candles everywhere. Inside is a fortune teller who looks into a crystal ball summoning insights into the challenges that Jose faces. “Thus my child, it does not do to dwell on that which we have lost. For certainly, we are given more than we could ever hope to loose.”
Leander Suleiman the actress who played the fortune teller, was the one who suggested I come to the sound stage and do this sketch. When I arrived people were rushing around taking measurements and checking for lighting levels. One fellow took his time lighting all the candles and a fire extinguisher was on hand at all times. Between shots several set pieces had to be moved and twice candles were knocked over causing a flurry of activity as they tried to pick up the candle before any pillows or fabrics caught fire. A long track was set up in front of the set allowing the camera to follow the actresses movements with the candles looming large in the foreground.
Leander is a frequent guest artist at a Full Sail class that helps teach students how to direct actors. She read the part of the fortune teller and then auditions were held. The director couldn’t find anyone else that was right for the role so he tracked her down. She had just finished playing a gypsy (Madame Zeroni) in the stage production of “Holes”. So jumping into the role was easy. Leander loves both theater and film but the stage is where her heart truly sings.

Letters to God

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I got a tip that a feature length film is being shot in Winter Garden. I drove through the downtown district and didn’t notice anything. I figured I had missed the action. I parked and walked around and decided to head down a side street figuring I would get more shade. Within a block I ran into this Methodist church. It is here that the film crew was set up. There were spot lights for each of the stained glass windows and a large camera lift parked out back.
The film is called “Letters to God”and is directed by David Nixon. It is the story of a little boy who gets cancer and from his bed he writes letters each night asking god to help other sick people he has met. The mailman who collects the letters doesn’t have the heart to throw them out so he researches and finds the people mentioned in the letters and delivers the letters to them. In the end the boy dies, but his letters inspire all who read them. The film is based on a true story, and was written by Patrick Dowdey who’s son had cancer. Filming is also being done at Arnold Palmer Hospital.
While working on this sketch, the parking lot gradually filled up. It seems filming is being done at night perhaps because it is easier to control the lighting on the stained glass windows. I wish I had the time to stay and do a second sketch inside but I had to get to the night shift at work. One fellow drove in front of me rolled down his window and asked if I was that religious calender artist. I explained that I wasn’t and asked what the calender artists name is. He didn’t know.