DAY TWO

 Day two went just as smooth as the first. It seemed like it was going to be much harder, as it was a completely different filming location that we did not have as much control over. When we got there, we had to speak to a different manager to clear up confusion that we were not expecting. Overall, we were fine. 

We began filming as our “extras,” came in to be diner guests. Our friends Mya, Victoria and Gabbi were very helpful and we got the necessary shots from them. 

Keira and I filmed our diner part and ran through it very quick. We had to redo a couple of takes more than we thought, but they all came out looking great. There was one shot that did not work out well, which was the “throwing water” scene. Keira overshot the water while I was laughing, but we were able to dry everything off and get it good. 

After that shot, Gianna came in to play Nicole again, and she did great. Her and Keira had one scene which went really well. 

We wrapped on filming with our “outside the diner” scene where Ember gets her phone call. Overall, it was a great day of filming and we’re looking forward to post production. 

FILMING STARTS

Today was an exciting day as we made it through the first day of filming for our short film. After weeks of prep, we were ready to bring our vision to life. We had planned everything perfectly and were hoping for a smooth shoot, which was exactly what we got.

Our "call time" was set for 4:00 PM, but with some inconveniences, we were ready to go by 4:30. We had planned to finish filming at around 7:00 and that is exactly what we got!

Everyone showed up and had a great time throughout. They were beyond helpful with understanding which shots we need and how we needed to refilm some of them. The team was in high spirits throughout the day, and everyone worked together seamlessly to make sure we got the shots we needed. The director had a clear vision for the film and was able to communicate his ideas effectively to the crew. The cinematographer did a fantastic job of capturing the shots beautifully, and the actors were all incredibly professional and delivered their lines perfectly.
One of the most important things we did was to plan for contingencies. We had a backup plan in case something went wrong, and that came in handy when we encountered a technical glitch with one of our cameras. We were able to quickly swap it out with a spare camera, and the shoot continued without a hitch.
Overall, it was a great day, and we're all excited to see how the footage turns out in the editing room. We're confident that we got everything we need, and we're looking forward to seeing our vision come to life on the big screen.
Filmmaking is a collaborative effort, and it takes a dedicated team to bring a project like this to fruition. We're grateful to have such a talented group of people working on this film, and we can't wait to share the final product with the world. Here's to a successful shoot, and here's to more great days of filming ahead.

Script: Complete

Keira came over and we GRINDED and finally completed the script. We were relatively done, but we needed a finishing touch and to cover up a few plot holes. I am SO excited to finally show you all the final script… to our short film… Takeout. Enjoy. 

Keer Talk

I got home from my spring break trip and had a special guest when I got home: Keira. Yes, it was scary, but she was there so we could finalize a bunch of different things for our short before we filming. 

We started with the script and from there branched our to different areas that needed work. We had the majority of the script done but there were still areas that we didn’t necessarily like. We spent roughly an hour on the script. 

Since both of our attention spans are not great, we decided on other filming decisions while finishing the script.  We ended up finishing and I will post the script in a separate blog post. 

Keira and I in production on the Oscar Winning Short Film, “Takeout”. 

Final Steps…

As a filmmaker, one of the steps in creating a great project is to make sure that all loose ends are tied up before filming begins. This includes figuring out what props and additional items are needed for the filming. I am in the pre-production phase and have been working hard to ensure that everything is in place before we begin filming. 

However, before filming, I need to make sure that all the necessary props and extra items are in place. This can be anything from costumes and makeup to set design and props like food, furniture, or even a specific piece of technology.

I have gone through the script to determine what props and extra items are needed and breaking down each scene. All that has come up is just food. We will need food for the planning scene for three reasons. One, because they all need to be doing something. Two, because it’s when Humphrey is introduced. And three, because we’re honestly probably gonna be hungry.

In addition to props and set pieces, I also made sure to look for the practical items that we may need on set, like Keira’s camera and some lighting equipment. These make sure that the film and it’s cinematography look as good as possible.

What I did not realize before is that the pre-production phase of a film project is so important to its success, and making sure that all loose ends are tied up before filming begins is a huge part of this process. It lowers the stress levels for Keira and I so that we can look forward to filming with confidence, knowing that everything is in place to create the best possible final product.

NEW ACTOR!!!

 Ok… due to some planning issues, Connor Lirio, the actor playing “Christian,” will not be able to make it on our selected filming date. While this is not an ideal situation for any production, we are lucky enough to have a backup. 

Christian will now be played by Keira and I’s very good friend, Logan Handley. While Logan Handley does not have the same experience as Connor, in terms of acting background, he fits the character that we wrote for Christian. He is similar in the mannerisms and way of talking that we expected from Connor, so this switch should not affect the production too much. 

In addition, we may try and pull some of Christian’s lines, or give them to other characters if we need to take away some of the weight on Logan’s shoulders. Either way, Christian’s character will be portrayed in an amazing way and we are so excited. 

Costuming!!!

 An important part of any production is costuming. Our film is no different. Keira and I have discussed the vibe and genre we are looking for, so costuming would have to match that. 

For our ensemble, we were thinking of Humphrey, Joshua, and Christian wearing what any other teenagers would wear. Simple colors, shorts or pants, and a carefree tone. After all, they are only planning the heist and hanging out at their friends house. Nicole is no different and she will match the guys’ vibe and wear what any girl would wear to hangout with friends. 

Ember and Ben are dressed differently. They each have two costumes as opposed to the friends’ one costume each. When they are with their friends, Keira and I will wear similar clothes to the rest of the group. However, when they meet in the diner for the “distraction” they will be dressed like they are on a date. For Ember, that means a jumper and her hair and makeup done. For Ben, it means a button down shirt and khakis, as well as his hair brushed nicely. This is to throw off the audience and the diner patrons when they show that it isn’t a romantic scene, despite what their costumes may give off. 

Music, Finally

 After hours of searching and coming up with possible ideas, we have finally decided on music. While some may think that spending this much time on music is a waste, I have always thought that music can set the tone for a film and change how the audience feels about characters and the production as a whole. 

My idea with the song “It Had To Be You” fell through, so it was time to look for music in the public domain and uncopyrighted music. Keira found the website, “Uppbeat” and she began to look there while I searched for more popular songs in the public domain. At a certain point, I figured that public domain music would not work and focused on Uppbeat. 

We ended up finding not one but TWO songs that fit the vibe we were looking for. If you care to listen, the names are: 

Vintage Vibrations

Slowtown

POSTCARD

I have decided on a concept for Keira and I’s postcard design. We have to design a postcard for film festivals to where we can hand them out for publicity. We needed to provide a ton of information about our film, including where to find it, the Instagram, some credits and our name. Overall I feel that the postcard does all of these and I love the concept art that I came up with. 

I will post the real one on the blog when we make it. We’re unable to right now because we need the key art for both the front and the back. We have selected our fonts and have everything ready on Canva. We need to insert the key art and then our postcard will be complete. 

Filming Locations

Our film will have two different locations. If you have read the script then you know it is the opening scene, with Ember causing a distraction and yelling at Ben, and the scene of the entire cast planning a heist. 

Lucille’s American Cafe:

Our first location will be at our local 50’s diner, Lucilles. My friends and I love this restaurant and think it would be a perfect place to film the date scene. It has the em Ian w that we are going for and would be a set in any romantic comedy. This diner is perfect for the film, as Keira used to work there, and our actor Gianna, who plays Nicole, currently works there. We have talked to the managers and they are more than happy to let us use the space to film after closing. 

My House:

The “planning scene” will be all filmed at my house. We picked my house because it provides an open area with many accessible areas for different shots. The sound will not be interfered with as it is a closed space. It is also very well lit and has different areas for people to sit. For example, we can have a character on the couch, at the table, at the counter or on the chair in the corner. 

Miami Film Festival

 This morning I had the opportunity to attend the Miami Film Festival. Last summer I was an actor in a short film which was entered in the festival. The entire thing was an amazing experience, especially for someone trying to create their own film. 

I have talked to the director of my film many times after filming to ask for help with writing, acting, and directing questions I have had. Today I got to hear it from other people as well. My film was in a block with 5 other films, and after the viewings, there was a Q&A section. I didn’t get to ask any questions, but I heard a few that really helped. 

While I wish I wrote them down, I got to all 6 directors answer questions about their inspiration, who helped them with aspects of the films, how long it look them, and most aspects of production. They all helped me so much and I think their answers will make my film much better. 

FILMING SCHEDULE DROP

 We have decided upon a filming schedule and it can be seen below. In the chance you don’t understand the colored dots, let me do a quick explanation. 

As a result of people being away for spring break, we will have to delay filming. We will film when spring break is over, so after March 26th. We are filming for two days, as we only need two locations. The pink dot is the day that we are for sure filming. The 29th will be a film date, and for the other, it may either be the 28th or 30th. It will most likely be the 30th, but the 28th is a good backup in case complications were to arise.

MEET THE CAST!!!!!!!

Keira and I have finally casted our film and we couldn’t be more excited. We found great actors that we believe are going to do an amazing job of bringing our production to life. Here they are:

Keira will be playing EMBER. Ember is Joshua’s girlfriend and is the main girl in our piece. She will be providing the distraction with Ben. Keira is extremely talented and will perform this the best she can.

I will be playing the part of BEN. Ben is the leader of this entire operation. He is the mastermind, and is the backbone of everything. He wants the money because the diner fired him, but he can’t be a part of the heist since they know him. I have experience and think I can deliver the lines well.

Gianna will be playing NICOLE. Nicole currently works at the diner and she will be helping as the “inside man.” She’s constantly not paying attention since she doesn’t care about what’s going on. Gianna will do this perfectly and also make it very comedic.

Adrian is playing JOSHUA. Joshua is Ben’s best friend and brings his girlfriend along. He is witty and kind of just goes with the flow. He is sometimes the butt of the joke, especially with Humphrey. Adrian will do this well as he has experience in both acting and being the butt of jokes.

Connor will be playing CHRISTIAN. Christian is the man going inside and actually taking the money. He is all for the plan and is confident in his skills to take the money. Connor has had acting experience with characters similar to Christian, as he played Riff in “West Side Story.”

Skyler will be playing Humphrey. My beautiful boy will be the powerhouse in the operation. He is the getaway driver and backup in case something happens with Christian. Humphrey is a great part for Skyler because he plays football and water polo and has experience with characters like this. 

Script Follow Up

 What’s up people. I continued writing the script and got through a good amount. I got to almost the end of the entire “planning/ arguing” scene and ran it by Keira. She loved it but said there were certain things we had to fix, which I agree with. 

The second scenes are all below so enjoy!